Supercomputer makes surprising prediction for MU vs Man City match

The Opta supercomputer has delivered analyses, stats, and predictions regarding the face-off between Man Utd and Man City in the 22nd round of the Premier League.

Right after taking charge at Man Utd, Coach Michael Carrick will face a tough challenge as he leads his team to host their fierce rivals Man City in the 22nd round of the Premier League.

Despite playing at Old Trafford and enjoying passionate support from home fans, Man Utd is not highly favored to win against their city rivals. According to the supercomputer's prediction, Optagives Man City a 50.6% chance of victory, while the probability of a win for the "Red Devils" stands at only 25.9%.

Beyond just numbers, Opta also presents a series of unfavorable statistics indicating that Man Utd is likely to struggle to achieve a positive result in the upcoming encounter.

Specifically, Man Utd has faced difficulties when hosting Man City in the Premier League, failing to score in 4 out of the last 5 home games, including the two most recent meetings. The last time the "Red Devils" experienced a streak of three or more consecutive home matches without scoring against Man City in the top English league was over a century ago, from December 1911 to September 1914.

Notably, the most recent season in which Man Utd failed to score in both fixtures against their city rivals was 1973/74, a campaign that ended with their relegation from England's top division.

Conversely, Man City boasts an impressive record as the team with the most away wins over Man Utd in the Premier League, totaling 9 victories. Additionally, only Liverpool has scored more goals than Man City at Old Trafford as visitors, with 41 compared to Man City's 37.

Before meeting at Old Trafford, the form of the two teams also shows a clear contrast.

Man Utd is currently going through a tough period, having gone 4 matches without a win, including 3 draws and 1 loss. Besides poor results on the pitch, recent coaching changes early in the new year have unsettled the Old Trafford dressing room. After Darren Fletcher served as interim manager for the last two games, the club's leadership appointed Michael Carrick as the new interim head coach.

This is Carrick’s second time assuming the role of interim manager at Man Utd, following his first stint in 2021. Back then, the English coach left a positive impression with 2 wins and 1 draw in 3 matches. These results suggest Carrick has potential to improve the team's performance. His deep understanding of "Man Utd culture" is also considered an important asset, boosting his confidence as he takes on the major challenge posed by Pep Guardiola, one of the world’s top football managers.

Meanwhile, Man City is riding high on a 13-match unbeaten streak (10 wins, 3 draws). The Etihad side currently trails league leaders Arsenal by 6 points, and a victory at Old Trafford could narrow the gap, increasing pressure on the "Gunners" in the title race.

The match between Man Utd and Man City will kick off at 7:30 PM tomorrow (January 17).