Jamie O’Hara, a former Tottenham player, has predicted that Manchester City will defeat Manchester United in the derby at Old Trafford.
While United had a terrible start to the season and had to rely on luck in their last three victories against Brentford, Sheffield United, and Copenhagen—with Andre Onana saving a last-minute penalty in the latter Champions League match—City has bounced back from a run of poor results to win its last two games against Brighton and Young Boys.
“I don’t see how Manchester United can win this game, and I would suggest that United supporters watch it from the comfort of their couches,” O’Hara stated to Grosvenor Sport. They seem incapable of performing anything in this game.
It is going to be a decisive Manchester City win, in my opinion. The defensive deficiencies of United make players like Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez extremely vulnerable.
However, O’Hara thinks the Blues will never be able to rival their neighbors in terms of prestige or fan base, even if City has dominated United recently, winning six Premier League titles since the Red Devils’ previous triumph in 2013.
It’s as simple as that: due to their histories, Manchester United and Liverpool will always be the biggest teams in the UK, stated O’Hara.
Man United is the sole team based in Manchester.
“What counts is the past. Manchester United will always be bigger than Manchester City, no matter what. If we play for another 40, 50, or even 100 years—or even if we play on a different planet—United will still be larger than City.
The city is unable to even fill its own space! Football is a game of cycles. With Pep Guardiola leading Manchester City, the team is currently enjoying itself, but I think Man United will return because, well, they’re Man United.
“Manchester City cannot be compared to teams like Real Madrid. No matter the decade, Real Madrid and Barcelona will always be Real Madrid and Barcelona, and Liverpool and Manchester United will always be Liverpool and Manchester United.
They continue to be the biggest clubs on the planet. Pep Guardiola is the manager of Manchester City, which is owned by the state, but that will soon change, I promise.
On Sunday, the two Manchester teams will square off at Old Trafford. They last faced off in the FA Cup final.
