Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

Scott Thornton brings you his Manchester City vs Manchester United prediction, team news, lineups and fixtures preview ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final. This is the second season in a row that the two Manchester clubs have met in this fixture.

Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to add to the league crown they secured last weekend and are the overwhelming favourites. Manchester United missed out on Europe via their league position so this is their last hope of salvaging a place in the Europa League.

• Manchester City vs Manchester United Tip 1: Manchester City -1.5 Asian Handicap
• Manchester City vs Manchester United Tip 2: Both Teams To Score
• Manchester City vs Manchester United Tip 3: Phil Foden To Score

Best Odds: 2.40

Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 1: City Continue Their Domination Over United

England, FA Cup, Saturday, May 25th, 15:00 (UK)

Manchester City have won six of the last seven meetings with their local rivals. City have been at their very best in recent seasons while United have floundered. That has been particularly true this season. Erik Ten Hag’s finished 8th in the Premier League and never really laid a glove on City in their head-to-heads. Therefore, backing Pep Guradiola’s side to win by at least a two-goal margin looks like a good bet.

The Citizens have won their last six matches by the margin required for this bet to land. They are scoring an average of 3.33 goals per game over that period and conceding just 0.33. Unsurprisingly, Manchester City had the best attack in the Premier League this season, scoring an average of 2.53 goals per game. Expect them to have plenty of success against a United side that has struggled for defensive stability.

Erik Ten Hag’s men come into this one on the back of two straight victories, but they have ridden their luck. They had fewer shots than both Brighton and Newcastle and finished the game with an inferior xG.

• Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 1: Manchester City -1.5 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.95
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 2: The Red Devils Often Find a Goal

Manchester United’s season has grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Their woeful finish to the campaign and subsequent 8th-place finish are a huge cause for concern but the underlying data paints an even bleaker picture. The Red Devils finished the season with an xGA of 74.76, the sixth most in the Premier League. Moreover, only Sheffield United conceded more shots than Ten Hag’s side this season.

Despite their defensive difficulties, Manchester United have improved in an attacking sense since the turn of the year. They have played 23 matches in 2024 and are averaging 2.04 goals per game over that period. Ten Hag’s men have failed to score in just two of those matches.

Pep Guardiola’s City juggernaut should have a field day against Manchester United’s leaky defence. They have scored in their last 33 matches and in the last seven Manchester Derbies. Both teams have scored in five of the last six of those. That includes last year’s FA Cup final, in which City ran out 2-1 victors.

• Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 2: Both Teams To Score
• Best Odds: 1.75
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 3: Foden is the Man in Form

Phil Foden has enjoyed his best season yet. He was crowned the Premier League Player of the Season ahead of Ollie Watkins after City won the title last weekend. The midfielder scored twice as they beat West Ham 3-1 in that match, and he will be looking to round off what has been an excellent season by scoring in the FA Cup final.

Foden has terrorised United in both of the league meetings this season. He scored in the 3-0 win at Old Trafford and squandered a couple of golden opportunities, which would have made it an even more emphatic victory for Pep Guardiola’s side. City had to come from behind in the 3-1 win over United at the Etihad. They piled on the pressure and the goals came late on. Phil racked up a total of nine shots and found the net twice. He should have plenty of space to operate once again.

The underlying statistics for the England international also paint a pretty picture. His non-penalty xG of 0.35 per 90 minutes puts him in the 89th percentile when compared with all attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues. He has managed to drastically outperform this by scoring 0.6 goals per90.

• Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction 3: Phil Foden To Score
• Best Odds: 2.40
• Bookmaker: Paddy Power
• Stake: 6/10

Manchester City vs Manchester United Prediction odds via bet365 as at 09:30, May 22nd, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Manchester City vs Manchester United Team News and Possible Lineups

Stefan Ortega will guard the net for Manchester City. Ederson is Pep’s only absentee heading into the weekend but he may well have opted to field Ortega regardless with the second-choice keeper getting plenty of minutes in cup competitions this season. 

Manchester United have been hampered by injuries this term but there are some crucial players in line to start this one. Erik Ten Hag was forced to name a makeshift centre-back pairing in recent weeks but Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez should start this one. Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia will all miss the clash. The likes of Harry Maguire, Anthony Martial and Victor Lindelof will need to be assessed before kick-off.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Silva, Foden, Haaland

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes; Garnacho, Diallo, Hojlund

Match Stats: Bleak Outlook for United

• Manchester City have won six of their last seven matches against Manchester United.
• Pep Guardiola’s side’s only defeat in their last 33 matches came via the penalty shootout against Real Madrid.
• Manchester United’s xPTS in the Premier League would have meant they finished 15th.
• Erik Ten Hag’s side are averaging just 36.5% possession in their five matches against Manchester City in the Dutchman’s tenure.

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