Shaun Wright-Phillips gives Man Utd vs Man City prediction now that 'the spice is back'
Former Manchester City midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips says the "spice" is back in the Manchester derby and predicts Sunday's clash at Old Trafford to be a tight one
Shaun Wright-Phillips says the Manchester derby will be more evenly-matched than people expect, despite Manchester United's poor form of late.
The ex-Manchester City midfielder is still tipping his old side to win, but says he wouldn't be surprised to see United produce a good performance. "The Manchester Derby is always tricky to predict," he said speaking to Ladbrokes Fanzone.
"If you go off form right now, you just expect City to win. In a Derby that is never the case though and form goes out the window. This is like a unique one-off game every time it is played.
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"It’s a game where suddenly you understand the fans’ passion, especially people like Rashford who has been in the system since he was a kid. Bruno has been there long enough to get it too."
Wright-Phillips, who had two separate spells at City, says the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs is intense again after simmering down few years ago. He added: "In the last three or four years, that Derby rivalry is on the verge of coming back to that feisty and aggressive nature.
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"Whereas before, because there were so many new players, I don’t think they got it straight away. There was a few years there where it just felt like another game. The spice is back now and it is great for football. That said, I do see City winning. I don’t think United will play as bad as they have been doing recently though. But I think City win 3-1."
The 41-year-old began his career at City in 1999 before moving to Chelsea in 2005. He returned to City in 2008, and later enjoyed stints at QPR, New York Red Bulls and Phoenix Rising before hanging up his boots in 2017.
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Victory on Sunday would see Pep Guardiola's second-placed side keep pace with league-leaders Tottenham, who could go five points clear at the top with a win over Crystal Palace on Friday night. Defeat, meanwhile, would be their third in four domestic matches, after being downed by Arsenal, Newcastle and Wolves in the past month.
United, who are down in eighth place, will be hoping to capitalise on their feel-good victory over Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday. A Harry Maguire winner earned them a 1-0 victory, but the points were sealed by an emphatic last-minute penalty save by Andre Onana. Defeat on Sunday would be their fifth in 10 league games, but victory would see them move to within three points of neighbours City.