Manchester City v Manchester United Preview: Smart Bets & Bet Builder Picks

Manchester City v Manchester United Preview: Smart Bets & Bet Builder Picks

It's time for a grudge match!

The Manchester Derby has quite rightly ousted itself as one of the most enticing clashes in the wider footballing world, with entertainment and memorable moments often held aloft every time the two sides clash heads.

The first meeting of the season between the two rivals comes at a time where the clubs are more closely alligned than we usually come to expect. In fact, United currently sit above City in the Premier League table - a statement that doesn't come around too often these days.

These battles of red and blue have always thrown up entertaining affairs over the many years of hostility between the two sides, and much the same is to be expected on Premier League Super Sunday this coming 14th of September. To help you join in on all the fun of this famous old fixture, here are Football Park's three best bets for the game!

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Football Park's Favourite Betting Lines

Both Teams to Score - Yes - 1.53

Oscar Bobb to Commit 1+ Foul - 1.44

Both Goalkeepers to Make 2+ Saves - 1.50

Both To Strike In Familiar Affair

Plain and simply, these games have always been open-ended, but the added historical caveat here is that the game is taking place at The Etihad, home of Manchester's blue corner.

In Manchester Derby's played with City as the hosts, the Both Teams to Score line has failed to land in just one league clash since 2017, with the fiery familiarities behind the famous fixture usually providing open games with chances galore wherein both teams normally benefit.

This line may not add too much mystique into which side of Manchester the spoils shall land, but is good value based on historical impact. For a more modern interpretation of the line, BTTS has landed in all but one of United's four games this season with their all-too-remarked-upon defensive worries rearing their heads just as much as their decent quality in the attacking third.

Bobb to Bash a Bloke

This line comes from a question over likely matchups over The Etihad turf.

Oscar Bobb has been a regular starter for Pep Guardiola so far this season, with the injury issues that plagued his 24/25 campaign now looking set within the rear-view mirror at the club.

Deployed most often on the right-hand-side of a three-pronged attack, Bobb has given away at least one foul in each of his last two games, making it a total of one per game on average. On that right flank, he's likely to be kept company by Patrick Dorgu, United's regular runner of the overlapping areas of their play. The young Dane has been on the receiving end of a foul for an average of three times a game so far this season, so coupling that with the intense scent of a inner-city derby match and a matchup with someone in a fouling mood presents good value in this line.

Keepers Kept Busy - Whoever Is Chosen, Anyway

The goalkeeping situation at both clubs presents a bit of intrigue on all counts.

Both clubs secured the services of new goalkeepers this summer - in City's case, two goalkeepers - and the question looms as to whether or not there will be a debut in line for a shot stopper on either side of the Manchester flanks.

City opted to excercise a clause in James Trafford's Burnley contract to bring him back to the club with an initially-fulfilled intention for the Englishman to be the club's new number one ahead of the now-sold Ederson, before City almost immediately desecrated that intention with the arrival of world-reknown Italian 'keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, after the 26-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements under Luis Enrique with Paris Saint-Germain (despite playing a major role in their long-awaited Champions League success).

🚨 Pep Guardiola: “Donnarumma to start vs Man United? We will see”. 👀

“The market gave us a chance to take Gigio; he’s 26, incredible experience with big clubs, the national team”.

“We didn't take Gigio to do what Ederson has done. Gigio has other qualities, it will be good”. pic.twitter.com/ZcFM9VHmdx

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 12, 2025

United, on the other hand, have finally spelled the end of Andre Onana's awful stint with the club through a loan with Trabzonspor in Turkey, the home nation of Altay Bayindir who had been preferred to the Cameroonian over the early stint of the season - though not exactly to much more success. The Red Devils eventually meandered into the market and brought home Senne Lammens from Belgian side Royal Antwerp, after an excellent season for the 23-year-old.

Whoever ends up pulling the gloves on betwixt the posts of either Etihad goal will likely face a familiar story in this fixture - loads'a chances.

This line has landed in each of the last four occasions that these two sides have faced off against each other, and with chances expected at either end - coupled potentially with two 'keepers looking to lay a marker down - we expect both shot-stoppers to be kept busy enough to help themselves to a pair of saves each.

If you like the look of all three of these lines in one go, you can snag them at odds of 4.20. This means a £10 stake returns £42!

All odds sourced from BetFred, correct as of 16:51, 12th of September 2025. Always gamble responsibly. Never chase losses, stake what you cannot afford or play beyond your means.