Story byChris Adams - BBC Sport journalistSat, January 17, 2026 at 8:27 AM UTC·2 min readNew Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick will be hoping his record as a player against derby rivals Manchester City is a good omen upon his return to the Old Trafford hotseat. Carrick the midfielder recorded 13 victories against City, his highest number of wins against any Premier League opponent bar Sunderland. As the 198th Manchester derby beckons on Saturday (12:30 GMT), both teams are on a run of three consecutive league draws. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDerby dugout debutThis will be the first time in the history of the fixture that either club has gone into the game with a new boss in charge. If Carrick's men do go ahead, the five-time title winner will be wary of their inability to hold onto a lead; they have lost 14 points from winning positions this season, a problem that the now-departed Ruben Amorim struggled to address. The Red Devils, who sit seventh, will also have to contend with the visitors' relentless running power. City players have covered more ground than any other team in the division this season, collectively running an average of 115.6 km per game. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSemenyo shiningPep Guardiola's squad has recently been bolstered by the addition of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.