Michael Carrick’s first game in charge of Manchester United pits him against none other than Manchester City in the 58th Premier League edition of the Manchester derby.
Carrick makes his touchline debut at Old Trafford, the stadium where he spent 12 years as a player before retiring in 2018, hoping to get his tenure off to a flying start.
Saturday marks the beginning of a new era at the Theatre of Dreams as the Red Devils seek a clean slate following Ruben Amorim’s dreadful 13-month stint at the helm. United fans betting on the game can use the YesPlay sign up bonus to bet on the derby’s outcome, and despite odds favouring the visitors, fans will be buoyed by Carrick’s previous record as interim manager.
Beating Man City would be a dream start for the 44-year-old, who enjoyed plenty of success over the past three years at Middlesbrough, but this is an entirely different challenge.
Carrick claimed that Man Utd are ‘pulling in the right direction,’ but recent results stand in stark contrast to this statement, with the team, bereft of confidence, heading into this clash on a four-game winless run.
That’s perhaps why bookmakers view them as 5/2 outsiders ahead of Saturday’s kick-off, highlighting the scale of their task to halt a frustrating two-game scoring drought against City at Old Trafford.
Unfavourable record
Pep Guardiola’s side eased past United in September’s reverse fixture, strolling to a comfortable 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland bagging a second-half brace.
Haaland’s heroics helped Man City snap a four-game winless run against the Red Devils across all competitions (D2, L2) and get on the cusp of securing their second league double over their bitter rivals in three years.
Meanwhile, bookies price them at 1/1 to achieve that feat.
Old Trafford should strike fear into every team’s hearts, yet Guardiola’s charges must be looking forward to this crosstown trip, based on their recent record at this stadium.
Except for a 2-1 league win in January 2023, Man Utd have failed to score in four of their last five home meetings with the Cityzens in all competitions, losing three of them by multi-goal margins.
Although their last showdown here ended goalless in April 2025, City have inflicted more home defeats on the Red Devils (nine) than any other side in Premier League history.
Unfortunately, that’s not the only ominous sign, as only Liverpool (41) have scored more goals at the Theatre of Dreams than Man City (37), further underscoring just how tough the task lies ahead of Carrick.
Even the famous ‘new manager bounce’ offers little hope, as Man Utd have won only one of their last six competitive home outings (D3, L2), courtesy of a 1-0 triumph over Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
Tactical Battle
If Antonie Semenyo was the final piece of the puzzle, then Man City should test Arsenal’s title credentials until the final weekend, especially given the Ghanaian’s remarkable start.
Semenyo has scored in his first two appearances for his new club and will be out to get off the mark in the Premier League this weekend.
With the 26-year-old winger in the picture, keeping Haaland at bay may no longer be enough, which further complicates matters for Man Utd’s fragile backline.
However, Lisandro Martinez could land a helping hand, having kept Haaland scoreless in five of his previous six matches against the Norwegian superstar.
Scoring feels like a much bigger problem for United.
Amorim’s trademark 3-4-2-1 formation didn’t work out, and it’s only reasonable to expect Carrick to overhaul the system, implementing his preferred 4-2-3-1 from the start.
This set-up could unlock the Red Devils’ full scoring potential and allow Bruno Fernandes to perform as an advanced playmaker, a role he had been exceptional at before Amorim’s arrival.
According to the Evening Standard, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo could both be available for Saturday following their national teams’ exits from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mbeumo’s return would be a major boost for Man Utd as the Cameroonian winger leads the club’s scoring charts in the Premier League with six goals.
With Mbeumo on the right wing and Bruno in the middle, Matheus Cunha should start on the left, complementing the attacking trio behind Benjamin Sesko.
Though this looks promising on paper, it remains to be seen how Carrick’s side will gel under the new system against one of the division’s best teams.
