While evidence emerges of the derby’s Bellamy face-pushed pitch invader alledgedly carrying something on to the field, Javier Garrido has talked of the day’s hostility…
Sir Alex Ferguson talked of this game being the greatest Manchester derby because his team won after extra time, but unfortunately focus has fallen upon none football related incidents in the fall out from a game’s backdrop that looks to have set a precedent for the next time around.
united certainly treated this game with more respect than they have done in previous years despite Taggart saying that games with Liverpool are his side’s real derbies. Whatever his belief, City’s resurgence raised the stakes, without a doubt for Taggart’s players, many of whom, outside of Patrice Evra were cynical in numerous pre match interviews.
City’s Javier Garrido was struck by a coin. Here’s his take on what went down in Stretford on Sunday:
‘I’ve been in England for two seasons and this was the match with more fanaticism than any other. I know other derbies but this atmosphere was incredible with insults flying as soon as we arrived at the stadium.
‘I was hit by a coin on the head when I was just walking calmly down the tunnel but I believe the target was Carlos Tevez, but I was standing next to him at the time.’
united have announced that the idiot who ran on to the pitch after extra time had finished will be banned from Old Trafford for life. To date, however, they have yet to trace the brave coin thrower.
‘This was seen by Manchester United staff but nobody offered any kind of reason. Manchester City have not provoked any of this controversy and United have created a climate of hostility against us.’
Now before anybody shreiks about the situation threatening to become over sanitised, you can be absolutely assured that were Manchester united players on the receiving end of any of this, Alex Ferguson would be raging and the hacks who cower in his presence would be kicking up a storm rather than focusing on Craig Bellamy’s reputation.
The scattergun approach Football Association themselves are slowly setting precedents for a long season and it emerged last night that even unused substitute Gary ‘Chuckle’ Neville’s on pitch celebration after the golden goal went in is coming under FA scrutiny this morning. City will also make a formal complaint over Fourth Official Alan Wiley’s open joking with Taggart who was pointing to his watch pitch side in the 97th minute.
The indications are already, judging by what we have seen across Premier League football so far this campaign that they are going to be busy this winter.
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