‘Have done well in big games’: Gary Neville backs United ahead of Manchester derby

Manchester United host Manchester City in the 196th Manchester derby on Sunday.

United’s four-game unbeaten run ended with a defeat to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening. They are now in danger of finishing in the bottom half of the table.

By contrast, Manchester City defeated Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium in their last fixture to continue their push for a top-four finish.

The Cityzens will be wary of United, who defeated them in the reverse fixture. City have only beaten the Red Devils once in their last three meetings — a penalty shootout win in the Community Shield.

Ahead of Sunday’s derby, former Man United defender and pundit Gary Neville has shared his prediction on the likely outcome of the encounter.

He told the Overlap: “United have done well in big games, haven’t they? Against Arsenal and Liverpool, they’ve performed pretty well. It could be a draw.”

A draw wouldn’t be a bad result for United, but could prove costly for Man City in their push for a top-four finish.

Why Man United could upset City

Despite City’s superiority over United, this fixture has often been tricky for them.

The Red Devils typically cede possession to the Cityzens, making it difficult for Pep Guardiola’s side to play free-flowing football and create clear-cut chances.

United are likely to adopt a similar approach again as they look to complete a league double over their city rivals.

Manager Ruben Amorim has already beaten Guardiola twice this season. The Portuguese tactician seems to have found a formula for beating his Spanish counterpart.

United have also performed better against the league’s top sides this season, having held both Arsenal and Liverpool to draws. They could well get a positive result against City on Sunday.

Article written by Henry Thornton .