One of the classic Premier League fixtures closes this week’s Premier League week, and it should be a cracker between the two bitter Manchester rivals, so it’s definitely worth a watch. And it’s also worth backing the great Bruno Fernandes to leave his mark on the game.
Betting Tip: Fernandes to Do What Fernandes Does
Manchester United are on the comeback trail after a strong season last time out, where, under the more relaxed management of Michael Carrick, they finished in a Champions League spot, crucial in guaranteeing plenty of prize money and a carrot being dangled in terms of big-name signings who know they will be able to play in the biggest club competition.
And they made the most of their return to the competition with a comprehensive 4-0 win on Thursday night against Sabah, though it’s worth pointing out that the Azerbaijani side is one of the weaker teams in the CL.
As for City, they’ve won all their four competitive matches so far this season, including three wins on the spin in the Premier League and a solid 2-0 win over Porto on Tuesday in Europe.
A good starting point here is that United have a better home record in this fixture over the past four years than you may expect, given City have been much the better side for the past few seasons: last year they won 2-0 in Carrick’s first game in charge, the year before it was 0-0, in 2023-24 it was 3-0 City but the year before that it ended 2-1 to the side in red, so just one defeat in the last four for the hosts.
So we expect United to score at least once here against a side who conceded three in the Community Shield and in both their first two league games, and if there’s one man likely to be involved in a goal for United, it’s Bruno Fernandes.
He got a hat-trick and an assist in their 5-2 win over Ipswich and also scored against Sabah on Thursday. He takes penalties, free-kicks, and corners; he is their chief creator from open play and loves a goal himself, so he should give you a good run for your money in terms of scoring or assisting a goal.
- Bet: Back Bruno Fernandes to score or assist
- Odds: 1.95
Match Facts
These two have played each other 174 times in all competitions over the years. United won 68 of them, while the number of draws and City wins are exactly the same: 53.
Bruno Fernandes enjoyed a record-breaking 2025/26 Premier League season, registering 20 assists for Manchester United. That total saw him equal the league record for most assists in a campaign, matching Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. He was particularly creative after the turn of the year, producing 12 assists in just 16 appearances during 2026. He also scored eight goals, taking his total to 28 goal involvements in 37 appearances.
