Predicting On The Manchester Derby

By Joshua Walters

The two Manchester clubs go neck-to-neck at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a Premier League match day thirteen fixture.

The Blue side of the city are the overwhelming favorites considering their current run of form, quality in personal and team psychology, but the Red side cannot be ruled out as they also have what it takes to snap up victory.

The Manchester Derby is the biggest in the Premier League and one of the foremost in world football calendar, partly because the two crosstown rivals are separated by just 6.4 km, and meet each other with either side focusing on both victory and, most importantly, the bragging rights.

Predicting on the Manchester Derby has always been a dicey affair since its inception on November 12, 1881.

The two teams are separated by just 6.4 km, and both players and fans cross each other on the streets and workplaces every day. You, therefore, lose the point(s) and the bragging rights and you would be at the receiving end until the two sides play again the next time.

But, as always, PredictionBoard will open up the permutations to guide predictors.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City top the table with 27 points while Jose Mourinho's Manchester United are 7th with 20 points, and here come City's advantages.

The Citizens have not lost in 53 Premier League games against teams outside the top-four. They have amassed 44 wins and 9 draws from such encounters.

City currently have the best scoring rate in the league with 33 goals, boast of the best defence line with only 4 goals conceded and are unbeaten in the campaign with 9 wins and 2 draws.

Guardiola's Blue side of town have proved strong at home with 6 wins in 6 games with 3 clean sheets.

And now to Manchester United. Mourinho's Red Devils started the season on a back foot but now look rejuvenated following their recent run results of 3 wins and a draw in their last 4 games.

Manchester United are the only side who have beaten Manchester City in their last 37 Premier League games since December 15, 2016. And this is also a major clue for prediction. 

The Red Devils have lost just 1, won 5 and drawn 2 since September this year.

Their major setback, however, is that they appear to be having a weak back line since they have conceded 18 goals.

Making the duel even more open is that none of the sides have the edge over the other from their last 5 meetings. Manchester City have beaten Manchester United twice, lost twice as one ended in a draw. 

Player consideration also matters a lot going into a prediction. 

Sergio Aguero, on the side of Manchester City, leads the campaign's Goal King chart with 7 goals, and Raheem Sterling, who has just extended his contract with the Etihad outfit, is a threat to the visitors with his 6 goals and 5 assists thus far.

Anthony Martial, who from the start of the season was struggling for form, has now found his feet for the Red Devils, scoring in each of his last 4 Premier League games.

The presence of Juan Mata could also influence prediction should there be a close range set piece which he is good at, having scored two free-kick goals, one in the Premier League against Newcastle and the other in the Champions League against Juventus.