Manchester United’s new interim manager, [Michael Carrick](https://thesportstoday.com/2026/01/13/man-utd-appoints-michael-carrick-as-interim-manager-for-the-remainder-of-the-season/), faces his first test back at the dugout as Manchester City visits Old Trafford for Saturday’s Premier League lunchtime kickoff.
United were eliminated from the FA Cup last time out as they fell to a [2-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion](https://thesportstoday.com/2026/01/11/manchester-united-dumped-out-of-the-fa-cup-by-brighton/) under former interim boss Darren Fletcher. The Red Devils also battled to a 2-2 draw at Burnley in their last Premier League outing.
City kick-started their own FA Cup campaign with a thumping 10-1 triumph over Exeter City last weekend, before securing a 2-0 victory over cup holder Newcastle United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal on Tuesday.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side were held to a 1-1 stalemate against Brighton in their last Premier League outing.
**Match preview**
Manchester United lost the reverse fixture against Man City 3-0 in September. They last failed to score in both league meetings with the Citizens in 1973/74, a campaign that saw them relegated from the top flight.
Manchester City have won more Premier League away games against Man Utd than any other visiting side (9), while only Liverpool (41) have scored more goals at Old Trafford than the Citizens (37).
The Red Devils have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League home games against Man City, including the last two in a row.
Man United have drawn each of their last three Premier League games, last having a longer run of consecutive draws in September/October 1992 (5).
Guardiola’s side have drawn each of their last three Premier League games, last having a longer run of consecutive draws in October/November 2009 (7).
Only Bournemouth (16), West Ham United (15) and Chelsea (15) have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League this season than Manchester United (14), while Manchester City have dropped four points in their last two games, just one fewer than in their first 19 matches of 2025/26 (5).
This will be Michael Carrick’s second stint as manager at Manchester United, following his three-game spell in November/December 2021 (W2 D1).
Erling Haaland has been involved in more Premier League goals against Man Utd than any other Man City player (11 – 8 goals, 3 assists), having a hand in all three goals on his last appearance at Old Trafford in October 2023 (2 goals, 1 assist in a 3-0 win).
Only against Brighton (8) has Man City’s Phil Foden scored more Premier League goals than he has against Man Utd (7), though just one of his seven strikes against the Red Devils has come at Old Trafford.
**Team news**
**Manchester United**
The host will be happy to welcome back attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo following their elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Noussair Mazraoui is still away with Morocco at the AFCON.
Shea Lacey is suspended after he was sent off in last weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
**Manchester City**
Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Oscar Bobb and Savinho are sidelined with injuries.
Omar Marmoush is still away on international duty with Egypt at the AFCON.
**Predicted line-ups**
**Manchester United**: Senne Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko.
**Manchester City**: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nathan Aké, Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo, and Erling Haaland.