Manchester City v Manchester United

Trophy-chasers Manchester City and defending champions Manchester United look to box each other out for the title this Monday, April 30. Kick-off is at 20:00 GMT.

Teams News

Manchester City

With only 3 mere points away from first place Manchester United, the Citizens are closer to a title finish more than ever. Fortunately for Roberto Mancini, City’s March to April dip is over now; the Italian manager’s team will be going into the derby on the back of a three-game win streak that saw them score 12 goals all in all.

Manchester City 16 goals in the last six games should serve as a warning shot to their neighbors, with 9 of these goals coming from the combined efforts of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez. The former has now 22 goals in the season, and will look to add up to his goal count in the next game. Carlos Tevez, playing the final derby of the season, will also play with the motivation of scoring against his former team.

Manchester United

Disappointing displays at home against Wigan and Everton makes this tie tricky for United. They were once leading the Premier League standings by a comfortable lead, only to find themselves needing a win against their “noisy neighbors” to move closer to a 20th EPL trophy. A draw will also serve do the club good as they are still in the lead with 3 points. And with the last derby ending in a 6-1 demolition in favor of City, Sir Alex Ferguson and his men will be wary of the danger ahead.

Making the tie even harder for United is the fact that City has not lost a game at home all season long. They have only dropped points at their own grounds on one occasion: a draw against Sunderland last month. A Manchester United win should mean more special then in that regard, as they will not only keep City’s title hopes at bay, but also be the first team to defeat the Citizens in front of their home support.

Manchester City v Manchester United Betting Preview

The Manchester derby is now a colossal event, thanks to the twists and turns that never fail to arise whenever the two teams concerned lock horns. United are still favored by history though – they have won three out of the last five games against their bitter rivals – but everything could change now that Manchester City has a line-up that can match up with their rivals tit-for-tat.

City too has a point to prove – their heavy spending could also lead to winning trophies – and they usually do by scoring goals. The last derby ended in a goal-fest, and with City’s goal-scoring form up high, this derby is destined to be a possible rout for either sides.

Betting Tip

Verdict: This is too tough to call, but I’m betting on a City win, 3-2.

Tip: In the last 8 City home games, over 2.5 goals (staked at 8/11 via Bet365) have been scored. This is arguably the safest bet featured in the game. A Manchester City win is also likely, but it is not as rewarding as an upset. A Manchester United win is tipped at 12/5 – an upset by the way is not too far from happening – and is a lot more gratifying of a punt than a City win.

Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, and Wayne Rooney are likely to score anytime but they are all tipped at 11/10 which does not provide very good returns. Better go for David Silva (12/5) Danny Welbeck (11/5) and Luis Nani (12/5) to score anytime.

All odds are from Bet365.com (£200 FREE BET!).