Chris Sutton makes savage Man Utd prediction as record-breaking Manchester derby tipped

Chris Sutton believes Manchester United could suffer another humiliating defeat against Manchester City after 'getting away' with their recent performances.

United travel to the Etihad on Sunday for the 192nd Manchester derby, hoping to avenge that woeful 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture. City's dominance on that day highlighted the gap between fierce rivals that has only seemed to grow in recent years.

Recent trips to the Etihad have only made the difference in quality more clear, with United conceding 10 in their last two away-day derbies. And with City starting to kick into gear on their way to a Premier League title challenge, Sutton fears the worst for Sunday's visitors and a potential repeat of the 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford in 2011.

"Manchester United have been getting away with it for a while now,” Sutton told BBC Sport. “Fulham deserved to beat them on their own patch last week - and they are not on the same level that City are. City have huffed and puffed and got over the line in their last couple of league games, but everything is going to come together for them soon, and it could happen on Sunday.

Watch Michael Plant’s run through of Erik ten Hag’s pre-derby press conference here.

“Ten Hag might try a tactic that has worked for United before against City, and go with split strikers, playing on the counter. It's probably a strength of theirs, playing on the break. But United have got some key defenders out, as well as Hojlund, and how successful they are will depend on whether they can hang on in there during the long spells when City will have the ball.

“City will win, I've got no doubt about that. It's just a question of how many will they score? If it clicks for City, and Kevin de Bruyne has said he feels like he is getting better by the game, then I just think they could run away with it.”

United will not be helped by the number of injuries to first-team players, with as many as eight absent including both left-backs and natural strikers. Harry Maguire was the latest to pick up an issue but both Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes came through the FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest unscathed.