Week 4’s biggest game sees **Manchester City** square off against **Man United** in the first Manchester derby of the season. City are seemingly in a state of transition, having lost two of their first three games and United, despite their own problems, will fancy a crack at their bitter rivals in this GW4 clash.
Here are the pundit predictions for this Manchester derby, which will have Anthony Taylor as referee.
**Chris Sutton**: Sutton says this is a big set of fixtures for City, who will also kick off their CL campaign against Italian champions Napoli later in the week and will then face Arsenal in GW5.
Says City need to possibly play Gianluigi Donnarumma because James Trafford hasn’t looked assured in goal, and reckons Bryan Mbuemo could prove a real handful for City’s defenders on the counter.
Reckons both teams will score, but thinks City will edge this 2-1.
**Paul Merson**: Like Sutton, Merson thinks Mbuemo and his fellow United attackers could hurt City. Says that Pep Guardiola’s side aren’t the same team of previous years, and don’t have a player like David Silva or Kevin de Bruyne to pull the strings.
Has gone for a **1-1 draw**, but adds that if he had to pick a winner, it would be United.
**Peter Crouch**: Crouch has noted the fact that [MCFC are below MUFC in the league table at the end of GW3](https://www.soccer-blogger.com/2025/09/01/pl-standings-after-3-games-2025-26-man-united-above-man-city-in-table/).
Reckons there’ll be goals for both sides and has backed City to edge a close clash, but says he won’t be surprised if it ends in a draw.
**Summary of predictions**
**Sutton**: Both teams will score, City will win 2-1
**Merson**: 1-1 draw, but will pick United if he had to pick a winner
**Crouch**: 2-1 to Man City, but draw possible too.