Manchester City vs. Manchester United prediction, odds: Expert English Premier League picks for Oct. 2, 2022

Manchester City will be trying to stay right at the top of the English Premier League table when they host Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. City (5-2-0) entered the weekend just one point behind Arsenal and look a lot like the powerhouse that won the Premier League title last season. The Gunners face third-place Tottenham on Saturday, so City could have an opportunity to take over the top spot by the time this Manchester derby kicks off. City have been scoring goals in bunches and enter with a ton of confidence as new star Erling Haaland has added a focal point to the attack. The Citizens remain one of the best in the Premier League on both ends, so Manchester United face a major challenge. The Red Devils (4-0-2) have rebounded from the dismal start that had new manager Erik ten Hag on the hot seat. They are fifth in the EPL table, six points behind league leader Arsenal with a game in hand. City won both meetings last season, including 4-1 at the Etihad.

Kickoff is set for 9 a.m. ET in Manchester, England. Caesars Sportsbook lists City as the -295 favorites (risk $295 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Manchester City vs. Manchester United odds. United are +750 underdogs, a draw is priced at +440 and the over/under for total goals is 3.5. Before locking in any Manchester United vs. Manchester City picks or bets, you need to see the English Premier League predictions from proven soccer insider Martin Green.

After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been stunningly accurate. Green has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he is 11-8 over his past 19 EPL picks and 26-21-1 (+4.81 units) on his past 48 soccer picks overall . He has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

Now, Green has broken down the Manchester United vs. Manchester City matchup from every angle. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Manchester City vs. Manchester United:
• Man City: They have at least three goals in seven straight at home.
• Man U: They haven't won five straight EPL games since April 2021.
• Man City vs. Man United picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why You Should Back Manchester City

The Citizens have picked up where they left off last season, dominating at both ends of the pitch. They have a league-high 23 goals and have conceded just seven, tied for second-fewest. Haaland has scored almost half of those, leading the league with 11. City was dominant most of last season without a true striker, and the Norwegian star hasn't missed a beat since coming over from Borussia Dortmund this summer. He has a strong supporting cast that includes star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who has been in top form and leads the EPL with six assists.

Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have three assists apiece, and Rodri has two, so there is a lot of creative talent in the attack. United have scored just eight goals in six games while conceding eight, and they could have trouble getting the ball. Man City averages almost 71 percent possession, while United are under 50 percent. Ederson leads the league with four clean sheets, and City have allowed just 12 shots on target. They were 15-2-2 with a plus-43 goal differential at home last season and have a 14-2 edge in winning all three matches so far.

Why you should back Man United

The Red Devils have gotten a big jolt of confidence from their surge as ten Hag has appeared to figure out how to win with his personnel. Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a back seat, and his Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes should be the key to the attack. He has just one goal while setting up one, but he had 18 goals and 12 assists the season before Ronaldo returned to the team. That dropped to 10 and six last season. Marcus Rashford (three) and Jadon Sancho (two) are leading the scoring, but Rashford is dealing with a hamstring injury and could miss out.

If Sancho can't go, that would likely put Ronaldo back in the mix, and the 37-year-old is out to prove he can still be dominant. He scored 18 goals for United last season. The Red Devils' current four-game league winning streak started with a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, and they handed Arsenal their only loss, so City will definitely take them seriously. After facing intense heat early on, ten Hag was named the league's Manager of the Month for September and appears to be learning the best approach for his personnel. United are 2-0-1 on the road

How to make EPL and Manchester City vs. Manchester United picks

Green has scrutinized the Man City vs. Man U match from every angle, and he is leaning Over on the goal total. He also provides two confident best bets, including a plus-money play on one player to be booked, and has a full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing those picks here.

So, who wins Manchester United vs. Manchester City in Sunday's English Premier League matchup? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Manchester derby, all from the European soccer expert who has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons.