Manchester United V Manchester City Preview

Manchester United v Manchester City

Sunday 10 May 2009,

Old Trafford

Kickoff: 13:30

Manchester United

Manchester United defeated Middlesbrough 2-0 on the road in their last league match, Man Utd's fifth straight league win.

Winning all of their last five has earnt Manchester United 15 from 15 points and keeps them in first position on the ladder, three points clear of second placed Liverpool with a match still in hand as well.

Man U will be without Owen Hargreaves and Wes Brown, who will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Gary Neville, however, has been included in the Man Utd squad after recovering from his foot injury.

Manchester City

Manchester City beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 at home in their last match, Man City's third straight league win.

In their last five, Man City have won three and lost two, picking up nine points from the 15 available. They currently find themselves eighth in the league, one point behind seventh West Ham and equal on points with ninth placed Fulham and 10th placed Tottenham.

Manchester City will be without Craig Bellamy and Benjani Mwaruwari for this fixture, whilst Daniel Sturridge, Pablo Zabaleta, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Dietmar Hamann are all doubts for the match.

Prediction

Man Utd beat Man City 1-0 earlier this season at the City of Manchester Stadium, whilst last year's Manchester United vs Manchester City derby at Old Trafford saw City run away 2-1 winners.

After the convincing 3-1 victory over Arsenal on Tuesday night that has seen them through to the Champions League Final for the second year running, it can now be said that Man Utd have well and truly found their form again after the blip in March and April.

Ronaldo, in particular, is in his best form of the season, scoring twice in the victory over Arsenal and twice in the Red Devils' last two league matches. Whilst for Manchester City it is Robinho who is hotting up, with the Brazilian scoring three times in City's last three league matches.

Manchester United must take seven points from their remaining four matches to clinch the title for the third successive year, so its crucial that the Red Devils don't let up in their end of season run-in, with matches against the likes of Arsenal and Wigan still to come.

Manchester City also have everything to play for, with a spot in next season's UEFA Cup still up for grabs. Trailing seventh placed West Ham by only a point, City will have to take as many points from their remaining three matches to stand a chance of European qualification.

With manager Mark Hughes undoubtedly looking to expand the team with some big-name signings for next season - Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o reportedly the latest target - a chance at European glory may convince star players to sign for City that otherwise would not have considered such a move.

Manchester United have only dropped five points at home all season, and in spite of Man City's recent resurgence in form, the Citizens currently hold the fourth worst away record in the league. And so the impressive Red Devils are unlikely to concede any more points in this match, and will enter the Manchester Derby as strong favourites to win.

Read the complete preview with the best betting odds at the Manchester United vs Manchester City preview page now!

Then read more weekend previews including West Ham vs Liverpool, Rangers vs Celtic, and Arsenal vs Chelsea at the Sports Betting Review site!