United are looking to bounce back under manager Ruben Amorim after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola’s City side, on the other hand, enter the derby in solid form, unbeaten in their last three matches across all competitions. ..Continue Reading
Currently, United sit 13th in the Premier League standings, trailing fifth-placed City by 14 points, with only eight games left in the season for both teams.
The Red Devils claimed victory in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium back in December, securing a 2-1 win with late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo.
Looking ahead to the derby, Neville pointed out that United have performed well in high-stakes matches this season.
He cited their FA Cup penalty shootout win over Arsenal, the previous win over City, and league draws against both Liverpool and Arsenal earlier in the year as signs of their resilience in big games.
Speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville said: ‘United have done well in big games, haven’t they?
‘Against Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City [this season], United have done pretty well in those games.
‘I think it could be a draw [between United and City on Sunday]. I think 1-1 but we (Neville and fellow football pundit Jamie Carragher) will say 2-2.’
Manchester City will be without their star forward Erling Haaland for the derby, as the Norwegian striker has been sidelined with an ankle injury that could keep him out for up to seven weeks.
On the other side, Manchester United have had to significantly reduce ticket prices for the upcoming clash.
Both clubs have fallen short of expectations this season and have struggled to reach the high standards they’ve set in recent years.
City, who have claimed the Premier League title in six of the last seven campaigns, are now battling just to stay in the top four. They’ve also suffered early eliminations from both the Carabao Cup and Champions League.
However, Guardiola’s men still have a shot at silverware, with an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest scheduled for April 26.
As for United, the league’s most decorated side, they’ve spent much of the 2024–25 season languishing in the lower half of the table.
Their form under former manager Erik ten Hag was poor, and the team has shown only slight improvement since Ruben Amorim took charge.
Like City, United still have a chance to redeem their season through European success, as they prepare for a Europa League quarter-final showdown with Lyon later this month.
