GARY NEVILLE IS SHOCKED BY JAMIE CARRAGHER’S PREDICTION FOR MAN CITY VS MAN UNITED.

Neville and Jamie Carragher. The former Manchester United captain and Liverpool icon have built a cottage industry on their barbed banter, dissecting the beautiful game with the precision of surgeons and the passion of gladiators.

But ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad, their latest clash has Neville reeling, his trademark incredulity on full display.

Carragher’s bold prediction—a resounding 3-1 victory for Manchester City—has left the United legend gobsmacked, muttering about needing to “take him away” for a reality check. It’s the kind of divide that underscores the derby’s electric tension, where formlines blur and history hangs heavy.

Picture the scene on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football set: Neville, ever the Red Devil in exile, paired with Carragher for their weekend predictions.

Manchester United sit ninth, nursing the bruises from a shock cup exit to Grimsby Town but buoyed by Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten streak against Pep Guardiola—two wins in their last three meetings, including that audacious 2-1 Etihad upset last December. City, meanwhile, languish in 13th, their season derailed by a summer of upheaval.

Veterans like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, and Ederson have shipped out, replaced by a cocktail of youth and imports that Guardiola insists will gel.

Yet back-to-back league defeats to Tottenham and Brighton have exposed cracks, with injuries sidelining up to 13 players, including Phil Foden and John Stones. “City’s defense isn’t what it used to be,” Neville opined earlier this week, eyeing vulnerabilities that Amorim’s counter-attacking United could exploit.

Enter Carragher, the Scouser with no skin in Manchester’s game, dropping his bombshell: 3-1 to City. “They’re too good to falter here,” he declared, painting a picture of Erling Haaland’s predatory instincts overwhelming United’s backline, new signing Gianluigi Donnarumma anchoring a makeshift defense, and Rayan Cherki’s flair carving openings.

It’s a forecast rooted in City’s storied home derby record—just three losses in 14—and Guardiola’s ninth-season hunger for redemption. Neville, predictably, fired back with a draw or United upset, his eyes widening in mock horror. “I need to take him… somewhere,” he stammered, the ellipsis pregnant with disbelief.

Their exchange escalated into a full-throated debate, Roy Keane chiming in with a wry “We’re daft enough” to tip United for glory, only for Neville to counter that City’s chaos could backfire spectacularly.

This isn’t mere punditry; it’s a microcosm of the derby’s soul-stirring stakes. United arrive fragile yet feisty, Bruno Fernandes pulling strings amid Amorim’s tactical tweaks, while City bet on Haaland’s “lust for revenge” to ignite their new-look squad.

Carragher’s call shocks because it defies the narrative: why back a stumbling giant over a resurgent underdog? Neville sees bias, or perhaps overconfidence in Guardiola’s genius, but deep down, it’s the thrill of disagreement that fuels their alchemy.

As kickoff looms at 4:30 p.m., with the Etihad’s roar set to drown out the doubters, one thing’s certain—win or lose, Neville’s incredulity will echo long after the whistle. In Manchester’s fractured heart, where brother turns on brother, Carragher’s prediction isn’t just bold; it’s a gauntlet thrown, daring the reds to prove him wrong. Neville’s shock? The perfect appetizer for a feast of football fury.