Manchester City vs. Manchester United: Manchester Derby Viewing Info and Preview

The Manchester derby battles are always special and have helped the rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United reach great heights. The encounters are even better when something is on the line, like grabbing an early statement victory.

That's the case in Sunday's clash. The two clubs, which are both serious title contenders once again, would love to score a marquee win over their rival in the early going. It would provide a three-point boost that could loom very large at season's end.

As it stands now, City and United are tied with seven points through four matches, three points off the pace of Liverpool. Neither side is often to an ideal start, but there's nothing supporters of either club should be overly concerned about quite yet.

Knowing that, here's a look at all the key information for the high-profile clash, followed by a preview and a match prediction.

Where: Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England

When: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. ET (4 p.m. BST)

Watch: NBC Sports Network and Sky Sports 1

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Match Forecast (via Bloomberg Sports)

Manchester City: 49.7 percent

Manchester United: 26.8 percent

Draw: 23.5 percent

Preview

Both Manchester clubs are coming off impressive midweek Champions League performances. Wayne Rooney scored twice to lead United to a 4-2 triumph over Bayer Leverkusen while City got goals from three different players to coast past Viktoria Plzen, 3-0.

The revitalized play from Rooney is one of the biggest stories heading into the match. After an uncertain summer, the longtime United star has seemingly put all the drama behind him and once again looks like the dynamic attacking force fans had come to know.

Not only is Rooney displaying top form again, but he's doing so while playing with Robin van Persie. If United can find a way for those to coexist this well throughout the campaign, the club's chances of a championship repeat receive a huge boost.

David Moyes is still working out the kinks after taking over for Sir Alex Ferguson, especially in the midfield. But with his two top attacking players on the same page and a veteran back line in place, things are starting to come together for the new boss.

Facing City on the road will be his most difficult challenge to date, though. These rivalry clashes are always more difficult to manage because every decision is magnified and a wrong one can cost a club three crucial points.

Luckily for Moyes, Manuel Pellegrini is also heading into his first Manchester derby. The Chilean does have past experience with these type of matches from his time with Real Madrid, though. So it should be an interesting duel between the managers.

The good news for City is their early scoring depth. They led the Premier League with 93 goals when they won the league two seasons ago. Last season, that number dipped to 66 and was a major reason they failed to seriously challenge United down the stretch.

It's still very early, but they are tied for the league lead with eight goals. And they are coming from a variety of sources, with Yaya Toure and Alvaro Negredo scoring two each to set the pace. It's a positive sign.

City have also been forced to overcome some injuries along the back line in the early going. Yet they are getting closer to full strength, and the stabilizing presence of Vincent Kompany will be welcome against Rooney, van Persie and Co.

Ultimately, it's an even battle between two clubs with high expectations. Since both attacks are playing well, it should develop into a pretty open contest with numerous chances on each end. A draw would be acceptable for both sides, although City will be pushing harder for the win in the late stages.

Prediction: Manchester City 2, Manchester United 2