Manchester United vs Manchester City | 13 September 2026 | Old Trafford
There are derbies. And then there is the Manchester Derby.
For 90 minutes on Sunday, September 13, Manchester will be divided into two colours — red and blue. Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford, with bragging rights, points and plenty of history riding on one of English football's biggest fixtures.
But this isn't just another Premier League match.
It is a rivalry that has produced title-deciding goals, six-goal thrillers, stunning comebacks, last-minute heartbreak and some of the most memorable moments in English football.
And this time, there is an interesting twist: City have the current league-form advantage, but United have had the better recent derby record.
So, who really has the edge?
A rivalry that goes way back
The Manchester Derby has been played for well over a century, with the first competitive meetings dating back to the late 19th century.
As of the January 2026 meeting, the two clubs had faced each other 198 times in competitive matches.
The overall numbers still favour United:
- Manchester United wins: 81
- Manchester City wins: 62
- Draws: 55
- United goals: 280
- City goals: 278
In the Premier League era, United also hold the historical advantage, winning 27 of 58 league derbies, compared with City's 21, with 10 draws.
But statistics also tell another story.
The balance of power has shifted dramatically over the last decade.
When Manchester changed colour
For generations, Manchester United were the dominant football force in the city.
The Sir Alex Ferguson era produced league titles, European glory and plenty of derby victories. Players such as Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo became central figures in the rivalry.
Then came the rise of Manchester City.
The Abu Dhabi-backed transformation of City changed the landscape of English football. Under Pep Guardiola, City developed into a dominant possession-based machine, collecting Premier League titles and regularly finishing above United.
That shift has made the derby even more fascinating.
United still have the history.
City have had much of the modern dominance.
And every derby becomes another chapter in that argument.
Five Manchester Derby moments fans will never forget
1. The 6-1 City demolition — 2011
This one still hurts for United fans.
City walked into Old Trafford in October 2011 and destroyed United 6-1.
Mario Balotelli scored twice, Sergio Agüero was among the scorers and Edin Džeko added two late goals.
It wasn't simply a defeat. It felt like a statement.
City had arrived.
2. Aguerooooo! — 2012
Technically, the famous Sergio Agüero goal wasn't scored against United.
But it is impossible to discuss the Manchester rivalry without mentioning it.
On the final day of the 2011/12 season, City needed a dramatic victory against QPR to win their first Premier League title. With City trailing 2-1 deep into stoppage time, Edin Džeko equalised before Agüero scored the unforgettable winner.
“Agüerooooo!”
That moment changed City's history forever.
3. United's incredible comeback — 2018
City were on course to celebrate the Premier League title against their neighbours in April 2018.
They were 2-0 up at half-time.
Then United came back.
Paul Pogba scored twice before Chris Smalling completed the comeback, as United won 3-2 at the Etihad.
It was one of those classic derby afternoons when football simply refuses to follow the script.
4. City score six — 2022
The 2022 derby produced another goal-fest.
City won 6-3, with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scoring hat-tricks.It remains one of the most spectacular modern Manchester derbies and perfectly captured City's attacking power during that era.
5. United strike back — 2024-26
The recent story hasn't been completely one-sided.
United beat City 2-1 at the Etihad in December 2024, then defeated City 2-1 in the 2024 FA Cup final.
After a goalless derby at Old Trafford in April 2025 and a 3-0 City victory at the Etihad in September 2025, United responded again.
In January 2026, United beat City 2-0 at Old Trafford, with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu scoring the goals.
That victory is particularly important heading into Sunday's game.United know they can hurt City.
Recent Derby Record: United have the bragging rights
Look at the last five competitive meetings and the picture becomes very interesting:
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | Manchester United vs Manchester City | United 2-0 City |
| Sep 2025 | Manchester City vs Manchester United | City 3-0 United |
| Apr 2025 | Manchester United vs Manchester City | 0-0 |
| Dec 2024 | Manchester City vs Manchester United | City 1-2 United |
| May 2024 | Manchester City vs Manchester United | City 1-2 United |
That makes it three United wins, one City win and one draw in the last five competitive meetings.
So, if we're talking specifically about the recent derby, United have the edge.
But football has a funny habit of making history irrelevant once the whistle goes.
So who has the edge on September 13?
This is where things get interesting.
Manchester City's advantage: form
City have started the 2026/27 Premier League campaign perfectly and arrive at Old Trafford with a 100% league record.
New manager Enzo Maresca is trying to build his own City era after Pep Guardiola's departure, while Erling Haaland remains the obvious danger man.
Haaland has already shown how comfortable he is in this fixture. He scored twice in City's 6-3 win in 2022 and has become one of the defining attacking players of the modern derby.
Manchester United's advantage: Old Trafford and momentum
United's league start has been far less convincing.
They have taken only four points from their opening three Premier League matches, including a surprise defeat to Hull City and a 2-2 draw at Everton.
But then came Thursday night's Champions League statement.
United beat Sabah 4-0, with Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes, Benjamin Sesko and Lisandro Martínez on the scoresheet.
And there is another factor — Old Trafford.
United have won both of their home games this season, and they will need the crowd to turn the stadium into the intimidating fortress it has been so many times before.
Players to watch
Erling Haaland — Manchester City
If City dominate possession and Haaland gets service inside the box, United could have a very long afternoon.
He already has eight Manchester Derby goals, putting him among the leading scorers in the fixture's history. Wayne Rooney remains the record derby scorer with 11.
Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United
Fernandes is the emotional and creative heartbeat of United.
If United are going to counter City's control, his ability to find the final pass and create something from nothing could be crucial.
Marcus Rashford — Manchester United
This could be an especially interesting derby for Rashford.
After loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, he has returned to United and reportedly undergone a significant change in attitude and training standards under Michael Carrick.
And he knows how to score against City — Rashford has five goals in 22 appearances against them.
Benjamin Sesko — Manchester United
Sesko's goal against Sabah will give him confidence.
The derby, however, is a completely different examination.
This is the sort of match where a young striker can go from promising player to fan favourite in 90 minutes.
Carrick vs Maresca: another new chapter
The managerial battle adds another layer.Michael Carrick is now permanently in charge at United after an impressive interim spell that helped the club finish third last season.
Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, is facing his first Manchester Derby as City's manager following Guardiola's departure.
Carrick knows what this fixture means from his own playing career.
Maresca has inherited a City side expected to compete for everything.
That makes Sunday's match more than a derby.
It is an early test of whether both managers can turn their respective projects into something special.
The verdict
If you ask me who has the edge, I would split the answer in two.
Recent derby edge: Manchester United.
Current league-form edge: Manchester City.
And that is exactly why this derby is so difficult to predict.
City arrive unbeaten with confidence and a dangerous Haaland-led attack.
United arrive with questions, but they have already beaten City twice in the last three competitive meetings and will have Old Trafford behind them.
The numbers say United have the bigger historical advantage.
The modern era says City have been the stronger force.
The recent derby record says United have found a way to hurt City again.
So forget the table for a while.
Forget the form guide.
When the whistle goes at Old Trafford on September 13, this is simply Manchester vs Manchester.
Red against blue.
History against the present.
And 90 minutes to decide who owns the city — at least until the next derby.
My call? Don't expect a quiet one.
