Manchester City are massive 1/4 favourites for victory in the season’s second Manchester derby at the Etihad, with visitors Manchester United 9/1 underdogs and the draw priced up at 5/1.
Our Man City vs Man Utd predictions expect United to make City sweat before justifying their favouritism and have a novel way of getting decent value about the Erling Haaland goal that seems inevitable following his fantastic five in his club’s midweek FA Cup win over Luton Town.
Man City vs Man Utd betting tips
Draw-Man City half-time/full-time @ 10/3
Kevin De Bruyne to assist a goal @ 21/20
Bruno Fernandes to be shown a card @ 9/5
Check out the latest Premier League odds at Betzone
United capable of putting the brakes on City until after the interval
Odds of 1/4 on the City win are fairly dismissive of United’s chances of avoiding defeat, as can be expected given Pep Guardiola’s side have won 14 of their last 15 outings in all competitions.
Yet, the sense of permacrisis that surrounds Old Trafford in every season they fail to recapture the non-stop glory of the Sir Alex Ferguson years makes it easy to overlook the fact that the Premier League table makes United the sixth best team in the division with the fourth best away record.
They tend to raise themselves above their normal level for clashes with City at least once a season, as illustrated by the fact the Etihad outfit have done the EPL double over them just once since 2013/14.
That may not be enough to see the Reds avoid defeat this time around, but they could well avoid ending the first half in arrears if their away first-half form this term is anything to go by.
Despite their travails in more conventional league tables United are top of the EPL first-half away table with five ‘wins’, eight ‘draws’ and zero ‘defeats’ in away league first halves in 2023/24.
Given their competitive first-half form on the road this term the draw-City half-time/full-time wager makes some appeal at north of 3/1.
Tip: Draw-Man City half-time/full-time @ 10/3
Haaland-to-score value to found in backing his most likely assister
Such are the feats of goalscoring consistency we have come to expect from Erling Haaland that it was almost concerning he’d failed to net in six of his nine games prior to City’s FA Cup win over Luton.
However, the Norwegian dispelled any foolish concerns about a dip in his relentless form by dispatching five past the Hatters in merciless fashion and is surely raring to add to the five goals he’s bagged against United in his three EPL meetings with them.
Haaland is little more than build-my-bet garnish at 4/11 to score anytime, but backing Kevin De Bruyne to assist a goal could prove a better value way of backing the seemingly inevitable notch for City’s number nine.
De Bruyne laid on four of Haaland’s five strikes at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday and averages an assist every 83 minutes in what limited top-flight action he has taken in so far this season.
Tip: Kevin De Bruyne to assist a goal @ 21/20
Back Reds skipper’s devilish side to come out on derby day
Casemiro has been a yellow card bettors’ staple since his Real Madrid days so it’s little surprise that the man that tops United’s average fouls per game charts (1.5) this season is even money to be carded here.
His captain Bruno Fernandes is a slightly less obvious card collector, but an excellent bet to be cautioned at 9/5 nonetheless. As well as the potential for bookings on the grounds of dissent, simulation, or time-wasting he’s also second in the Red Devils’ fouls per game charts (1.3).
Fernandes has collected a club-high eight yellows already this term and has picked up cautions in two of the last four Manchester derbies.
