Saturday’s Manchester Derby has a strange aura about it. Manchester City has long been the more talented club in the matchup but Manchester United has at times surprised in the emotion packed encounter. Those emotions could be tamped down for this one given the state of suspended animation the Red Devils currently inhabit. The club seems to have folded the cards on its current season, preferring to seek a permanent managerial solution next summer. In the meantime, Michael Carrick has been brought in as the interim manager for the balance of this season. Oddly, Manchester United had largely gotten improved results in what was Amorim’s second season in charge. The club is, after all, only three points removed from fourth place Liverpool in the Premier League table. Amorim, however, lost his composure during a recent downturn in results and publicly criticized the ownership which had backed him through the darkness characterizing much of his tenure. Amorim is now out and Carrick is left to salvage what is left of the season. Indications that no major moves will take place in the January window further fuels discontent among a fan base which is supposedly planning a mass protest against Manchester United ownership at the February 1st match versus Fulham. Carrick is generally well liked as a former player on some of Manchester Untied’s championship teams. His managerial resume, however, is lackluster. After an interim stint for Manchester United in 2021, three matches without a defeat, he won 46% of his matches in charge of Middlesbrough from 2022-2025 before being sacked. Manchester United supporters, however, are more upset at the delay in finding a long-term manager, Carrick being contracted only until the end of the season. That, combined with a lack of ambition in the January window, conveys a perceived and inexplicable indifference to Champions League qualification by club ownership.
Michael Carrick's training sessions have blown the @ManUtd players' minds.
— indykaila News (@indykaila) January 15, 2026
They are hugely impressed with his methods. The tactical meetings have everyone on high alert 🚨 pic.twitter.com/gBP6KQYDNE
Manchester City, meanwhile, is chasing another Premier League title under legendary manager Pep Guardiola. The Citizens have work to do as they sit six points back of table leading Arsenal. Guardiola, however, must be thrilled at the January addition of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth. Semenyo is third in Premier League goalscoring this season and provides another formidable option for a Manchester City attack which already includes Golden Boot leader Erling Haaland. Manchester City should be poised to boost their title aspirations at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Arsenal, however, shows no signs of stumbling in trying to end a three-year run as Premier League bridesmaid. The Gunners, 3-2 winners over Chelsea in the EFL Cup semifinals on Wednesday, have lost only twice in the Premier League this season, piecing together an earlier 18 and current 11 game unbeaten runs. Arsenal is on a five-match winning run on the road as they travel to Nottingham Forest for a Saturday match at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest is in a battle of its own at the bottom of the table, currently winning that battle with a seven-point cushion against the relegation places.
West Ham has made life more comfortable for Nottingham Forest with the Hammers’ dreadful performance under Manager Nuno Espirito Santo who risks being sacked by a second Premier League club in the same 2025/26 season. Santo will face off against Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in both a London derby and Battle of the Embattled Managers. Frank is under fire for not just poor results but also an unappealing playing stye devoid of creativity and his crusty comments directed at his own supporters. Frank has Spurs positioned just six points above 17th place Nottingham Forest. That final safe position in the table is where spurs landed season under subsequently sacked manger Ange Postecoglou. A loss to visiting West Ham could spell the end for Frank on Saturday.
Another London derby will be drawing eyes as Liam Rosenior makes his Premier League when Chelsea hosts an in-form Brentford side. The new Blues manager suffered defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in the first leg of an EFL Cup tie with Arsenal. A competitive loss to the Premier League leader does not constitute a black mark. A second consecutive loss at home could raise eyebrows as to whether the inexperienced manager is truly ready to turn around Chelsea’s poor run of form. Chelsea has won just one of its last nine Premier League matches, a rough patch which has seen them drop from title contention to eighth in the league table. Brentford, meanwhile, has been climbing the table to its current fifth place perch. Only Arsenal has gathered more points in the last six matches than the Bees. Forward Igor Thiago has a hat trick and a brace in his last two matches for the streaking Bees. His 16 goals on the season have taken the league by surprise and provided the Bees with firepower they feared lost when Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa left the club last summer. Brentford could have to deal with returning Chelsea stars Cole Palmer and Reese James who missed the midweek Arsenal loss due to injury.
Sunderland is at a critical juncture to its season. The Black Cats have outperformed expectations by spending this season in the top half of the table, far from the relegation fight expected for the newly promoted club. A win, however, has eluded Sunderland in its last five matches. Manger Regis Le Bris will be hoping to get back in the win column this weekend when the club returns to its home fortress to host Crystal Palace at the Stadium of Light where the Black Cats are undefeated and have won five of their ten home matches. Crystal Palace has not won any of its last six league matches. Any encouragement from a draw with Aston Villa in its last league contest was short lived for the Eagles who suffered a shocking FA Cup loss to measly Macclesfield in a historic upset last Saturday. It will be interesting to see how Manager Oliver Glasner is able to put the pieces back together again at Sunderland this week.
Fulham and Liverpool have been two of the most in-form Premier League sides in recent weeks. Liverpool has warts but also the type of talent that makes it far from surprising that they are back in the Champions League places despite a disappointing campaign which had warmed the seat of Manager Arne Slot. The Reds should not have much trouble this weekend when they host an overmatched Burnley side which is second bottom in the table on merit. Unlike Liverpool, the recent run of success by Fulham is less expected. The Cottagers roster is not imposing but Manager Marco Silva is highly respected and former Liverpool property Harry Wilson has caught fire. Wilson spent much of his Liverpool time on loan at various clubs but seems to have found a home at Craven Cottage. Since the beginning of November, only Erling Haaland has had more goal involvements than the 28-year-old Wilson. The Wilson led Cottagers will put their five match Premier League unbeaten run on the line at Leeds on Saturday.
Aston Villa is still in the title picture, level on points with Manchester City, both clubs six points shy of Arsenal. The Villans have hit some bumps in recent weeks, being whacked soundly by Arsenal and then suffering a frustrating draw with Crystal Palace. The Villans are home to Everton this weekend.
The Semenyo era is over at Bournemouth as the club’s leading goalscorer is now wearing a Manchester City shirt. Manger Andoni Iraola thus needs to find new answers for the Cherries’ attack when they journey to Brighton on Monday. Wolverhampton has had a poor attack all season, netting just 15 goals in its 21 league contests. Cellar dwelling Wolves has shown some life recently, however, going undefeated in its last three matches. Newcastle visits Molineux Stadium on Sunday.
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