Manchester Derby 2026: Head-to-Head, Form and NST Kickoff

Key takeaways

• Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday 13 September 2026, kicking off at 21:15 Nepal Standard Time.

• The match is live in HD on Kantipur Max HD.

• Manchester United lead the all-time record with 81 wins to 62, from 198 competitive meetings.

• Manchester City arrive top of the English Premier League with a 100 percent record; Manchester United sit 11th on four points.

• Manchester United won the last derby 2–0, in January 2026.

• This preview is written for supporters watching in Nepal, with every time given in NST.

The 199th competitive Manchester derby arrives with the two clubs in sharply different condition. Manchester City have won all three of their opening English Premier League fixtures and lead the table on nine points. Manchester United have taken four points from a possible nine and sit eleventh. Kickoff at Old Trafford is 21:15 Nepal Standard Time on Sunday 13 September 2026, live on Kantipur Max HD.

Manchester United won the most recent meeting, beating Manchester City 2–0 at Old Trafford on 17 January 2026 through goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. It was Michael Carrick's first match in charge, and it ended a City unbeaten run of thirteen matches.

This article covers the full head-to-head record, the matches that shaped the rivalry, current form for both clubs, and the tactical questions that will decide the evening.

When the Manchester derby kicks off in Nepal

The match kicks off at 16:30 BST at Old Trafford. Nepal Standard Time runs at UTC+5:45, four hours and forty-five minutes ahead of British Summer Time, which places kickoff at 21:15 NST on Sunday evening. Supporters in Nepal do not need to stay up late for this one.

Coverage is live in HD on Kantipur Max HD, with Nepali commentary and studio analysis before and after the match. Channel numbers differ by provider, so check the Where to Watch page for the number on ClearTV, Net TV, ViaTV, MaxTV, SkycomTV, CaroTV, NTTV or DishHome.

The head-to-head record

Across 198 competitive meetings, Manchester United hold 81 wins to Manchester City's 62, with 55 draws. The margin is narrower than the historical reputation of the fixture suggests, and it has been closing steadily throughout the modern era.

The first meeting took place on 12 November 1881, when St Mark's of West Gorton — the club that became Manchester City hosted Newton Heath LYR, who became Manchester United. The visitors won 3–0.

Wayne Rooney is the leading scorer in the fixture with 11 goals across all competitions. Joe Hayes and Francis Lee follow on 10 each.

Five matches that defined the rivalry

1. Denis Law's backheel, final day of the 1973–74 season. Law, a Manchester United great by then playing for Manchester City, scored with a backheel at Old Trafford in the 81st minute to settle the match 1–0. He did not celebrate, believing the goal might relegate his former club, and walked off with his head down when substituted. Results elsewhere that day meant United were relegated regardless of the score, but Law did not know that at the time.

2. United 4–3 City, 20 September 2009. Michael Owen settled a seven-goal Premier League match with a 96th-minute winner, one of the latest and most contested goals the fixture has produced.

3. United 1–6 City, 23 October 2011. Manchester City's biggest win in the history of the fixture. Mario Balotelli opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and revealed the "Why Always Me?" shirt beneath his kit. Jonny Evans was sent off in the 47th minute, and United played the entire second half with ten men, conceding two goals in stoppage time through David Silva and Edin Džeko. It came in the season City won the title on goal difference, finishing level with United on 89 points and ahead by +64 to +56. It remains the only Premier League title decided that way.

4. City 6–3 United, 2 October 2022. The highest-scoring derby on record at nine goals, and a statement of how decisively the balance of power had shifted.

5. City 2–1 United, 3 June 2023. The first major cup final ever contested between the two clubs, settled in City's favour in the FA Cup final.

Form guide: how both clubs arrive

Manchester City have won all three of their opening fixtures: 4–1 against Crystal Palace, 2–1 against Bournemouth and 1–0 against Coventry City. Nine points from nine, seven goals scored and only two conceded. Enzo Maresca's side arrive top of the table with a perfect record intact.

Manchester United have been considerably less settled. A 0–2 opening defeat to Hull City was followed by a 5–2 win over Ipswich Town and a 2–2 draw at Everton. Four points from nine, and notably, seven goals scored, exactly the same as City, but six conceded against City's two.

That single comparison frames the match. Both attacks are producing at the same rate. The defensive records are not remotely comparable, and Michael Carrick's side must find a way to close that gap within one evening.

Why the balance has shifted

The historical record and the recent record tell different stories. Across all 198 meetings Manchester United lead 81–62. Across the recent run of fixtures tracked Manchester City lead 20 wins to 17, with six draws.

The two most recent derbies illustrate why the fixture resists prediction. City won 3–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium in September 2025, with a Foden goal and a Haaland brace. United then won 2–0 at Old Trafford in January 2026. A supporter reading only the all-time record would conclude United hold a comfortable edge here. The last two matches suggest something less settled than that.

Team news and tactical shape

Manchester United carry a substantial injury list. FotMob lists Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt, Carlos Baleba, Manuel Ugarte and Amad Diallo as unavailable. Manchester City are without Nico O'Reilly and Jérémy Doku.

Neither club had confirmed a starting eleven at the time of writing, and published predicted line-ups disagree with the injury lists, so no predicted team is reproduced here.

Bruno Fernandes has three goals and one assist for United this season. Erling Haaland has three goals for City and recently reached 300 career goals.

The tactical question is whether United can disrupt City's build-up without leaving the spaces that have already cost them six goals in three league matches. City have conceded twice in the league so far, though they did lose 3–0 to Arsenal before the league campaign began.

United face a genuine dilemma. Playing at home and eleventh in the table, they cannot afford to sit deep and absorb pressure for ninety minutes the crowd will not accept it and the league position does not permit it. But pressing high against a City side that has conceded twice in three matches has punished better defensive records than United's. The 5–2 win over Ipswich Town and the 2–2 draw at Everton came from the same approach; one produced five goals, the other produced two conceded.

The most likely route to a United result is the transition moment. Their seven goals in three matches indicate the attacking personnel are functioning, and City's full-backs push high enough to leave space behind when possession turns over. Whether United can win the ball in the right areas often enough to use it is the question the evening will answer.

For City, the calculation is simpler. Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Coventry City are not Old Trafford in a derby, and City lost here in January. A fourth straight league win would say something about this side that three more comfortable ones could not.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Manchester derby in Nepal?

The Manchester derby kicks off at 21:15 Nepal Standard Time on Sunday 13 September 2026. That corresponds to 16:30 BST in the United Kingdom. Nepal Standard Time is UTC+5:45.

Which channel shows the Manchester derby in Nepal?

The match is live in HD on Kantipur Max HD, available on all major cable and DTH providers in Nepal. Channel numbers vary by provider see the Where to Watch page.

Who has won more Manchester derbies?

Manchester United lead the all-time record with 81 wins to Manchester City's 62, with 55 draws from 198 competitive meetings. Figures are current as of 17 January 2026.

What is the biggest win in Manchester derby history?

Manchester City have twice won 6–1, in January 1926 and at Old Trafford in October 2011. Manchester United's largest margin is a 5–0 win in 1994. The highest-scoring derby was City's 6–3 victory in October 2022, with nine goals.

Who has scored the most goals in the Manchester derby?

Wayne Rooney leads with 11 goals across all competitions. Joe Hayes and Francis Lee are next on 10 each.

Who won the last Manchester derby?

Manchester United won the most recent derby 2–0 at Old Trafford on 17 January 2026, with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. It was Michael Carrick's first match in charge and ended a thirteen-match unbeaten run for Manchester City.

Where is the Manchester derby being played?

At Old Trafford, Manchester United's home ground, on Sunday 13 September 2026.

Final verdict

Manchester United hold the historical advantage in this fixture 81 wins to 62 across 198 meetings but historical advantage has counted for very little in the recent run of it. The present-day gap is stark: nine points against four, two goals conceded against six, first place against eleventh.

United's route into the match is their attack, which has scored as freely as City's. Their problem is everything behind it, and an injury list that runs to seven names. But they beat this opponent 2–0 on this ground eight months ago, and Old Trafford in a derby has a long record of ignoring league tables.

Kickoff is 21:15 NST on Sunday 13 September, live in HD on Kantipur Max HD.

Not sure which channel carries Kantipur Max HD on your provider? Find your channel number on the Where to Watch page.