Premier League legend Alan Shearer and BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton have revealed their predictions for the “huge” showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City at the Etihad.
Manchester United face a difficult first test in the post-September international break this weekend, following on from their first win of the 2025-26 season in August.
The Red Devils collected all three Premier League points, ahead of September’s World Cup qualifying campaign, after United defeated Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford.
United’s late win over Burnley came thanks to an injury-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes, with the pressure easing up slightly on manager Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim watched his side bounce back after United’s humiliating penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in the Carabao Cup last month.
United have momentum on their side ahead of their visit to the Etihad on Sunday for the first Manchester derby of the 2025-26 campaign against Manchester City.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium in 2025 in Manchester, England.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Alan Shearer reveals his Premier League outcome for the Man City vs Man Utd showdown at the Etihad
Manchester United are ninth in the Premier League table after their first three league matches, having beaten Burnley, lost to Arsenal and drawn against Fulham.
The Red Devils are ahead of Manchester City in the table going into the Manchester derby, with Pep Guardiola’s men in 13th place in the Premier League this season.
Speaking to the Metro, Alan Shearer has said that Sunday’s showdown at the Etihad will be “huge” for City boss Pep Guardiola and United manager Ruben Amorim.
However, the 55-year-old all-time leading Premier League scorer has backed City to come out on top against United and walk away with all three points on the weekend.
“Home win,” Shearer said.
“It’s a huge game for both clubs already this season and it always is.
“But because of what’s happened to Man City and the pressure Man United could be under, it’s a huge game. I’ll go for a home win.”
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Chris Sutton singles out Man Utd summer signing Senne Lammens in his Premier League prediction for the Man City match
Chris Sutton suggested that Amorim could face ‘scrutiny’ if he does not roll the dice with United summer signing Senne Lammens ahead of Altay Bayindir for the match.
The 52-year-old pundit admitted that the “character” of Senne Lammens remains unclear after the United shot-stopper’s deadline-day arrival from Royal Antwerp.
“United signed Senne Lammens ahead of [Aston] Villa’s Emi Martinez, who has definitely got the kind of presence that brings confidence to his defence the same way Donnarumma does,” Sutton said in his column for BBC Sport.
“We know Lammens has got these amazing save statistics, but there is much more to being Manchester United’s goalkeeper than that.
“As Rory Smith basically said on the Monday Night Club, they don’t count for much anyway, because he has been playing in the Belgian league and they are rubbish at shooting.”
He added: “Joking aside, what we don’t know at the moment is much about Lammens’ character or how he will adapt to the Premier League.
“Is he ready to be United’s keeper or not? If Amorim picks Altay Bayindir over him against City, then people are going to scrutinise that decision and ask why on earth he didn’t put Lammens in straight away if he rates him so highly.”
Sutton, much like Shearer, has backed Pep Guardiola’s men to beat United and for City to secure a 2-1 scoreline at the Etihad in Sunday’s Manchester derby.