Marcus Rashford in Manchester derby: Man United star returns to face Man City, his favorite opponent

As with many early-season rivalry matches, this Sunday's derby between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford will be about much more than the final result.

Both teams are only three matches into the 2026-27 season, meaning that while the final scoreline will, of course, be the most important thing to both sides, there are very few competitive stakes riding on the matchup as it currently stands.

From an individual perspective, there will be one player on the home side who will make his triumphant return to this rivalry, a matchup in which he has provided the Red Devils with a number of memorable moments.

After loans to Aston Villa and Barcelona failed to materialise into a permanent move, Marcus Rashford returns to this historic matchup as he rekindles his Manchester United career at 28 years old.

MORE: Head-to-head results, all-time record in Manchester derby history

All facts and figures as of Marcus Rashford's last appearance against Man City on April 22, 2025.

Marcus Rashford record vs. Man City

Marcus Rashford has faced Man City 23 different times across all competitions, including 17 in the Premier League.

Of those 23 matches, his team has won seven, drawn twice and lost 14. Only one of those appearances came with Aston Villa, a 2-1 defeat on April 22, 2025, with the rest coming as a player for Man United.

Marcus Rashford goals vs. Man City

Through 23 matches against Man City, Marcus Rashford has scored seven goals against the club, with six of those coming for Manchester United.

Six of those have come in the Premier League, with five for United and one for Aston Villa.

Rashford has been great against Man City lately, with three of his goals coming in his last four league appearances against his Manchester rivals.

Marcus Rashford makes return to Manchester derby

Marcus Rashford has not faced Manchester City since his lone appearance for Aston Villa against the Sky Blues in April of 2025, and has not appeared for Man United in this derby since the FA Cup final victory in May of 2024.

Now 28 years old, the lifelong Man United servant had a falling out with the club under Ruben Amorim, departing for loan spells with Villa and Barcelona, both of which saw him return to the Theatre of Dreams.

Rashford has been at the centre of many iconic moments in the last 10 years of this historic rivalry. He scored the winner in his Manchester derby debut back in 2016, with his 16th-minute goal holding up the rest of the way in a 1-0 victory. He scored the first of a 2-1 victory in 2019 at the Etihad, and he set Old Trafford on fire with an 82nd-minute winner in a 2-1 win in January of 2023.

In 2018, when he was just 21 years old, Rashford wrote a column on the Manchester United website about what the derby means to him.

"There is a different feel around the city," he wrote, "and the way my friends speak leading up to the game is always different to other games."

If there's anyone in the United squad who knows the meaning of the Manchester derby and how important it is to the club, it's Rashford. Careers are ignited in this fixture, even in a game like this where very little is tangibly on the line from a competitive standpoint.

Rashford has started two of the three Premier League matches so far this season, and has failed to register a goal contribution, even as United have scored seven goals in those two matches. Yet for Michael Carrick, the 28-year-old is clearly an important part of the coming derby, as he was rested completely against Sabah midweek.

He is the kind of player who can attack City on the dribble, both out wide and cutting inside. He can create goals for himself or bring teammates into play. Despite not yet scoring this season, Rashford has been very good. According to analytics aggregator Gradient Sports, he is rated as the 15th-best forward in the Premier League through three games this season, with high scores in crossing, dribbling, and ball carrying.

What better way for Rashford to mark his return to Man United than to profit from his strong performances and play a starring role in a result against Man City?