On Sky
Manuel Pellegrini’s City take on ‘Footballing Genius` David Moyes’s team in the 167th derby with both sides seeking vital points ??but for vastly different reasons. One team is looking to win the league, one team isn’t even close.
Vital Quotes:
Manuel Pellegrini:
“Every player understands that every game is a final. We have three games in hand but we have to win them. We don’t have the points, we have the games. We will start this week with three important games. We’ll see at the end of this week who has the best chance to win the title. I think it’s possible that we can win the title, but Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool can also do it. I don’t think one game is more important than the other, we have 11 important ones. If we win more than the other teams we can win the title.”
Pablo Zabaleta:
“It doesn’t matter, the situation of United. The game is special for both teams. We know how important it is to win the game for the players, the fans, the club. That is why we need to go there and try to win the game. We know Chelsea at the moment are on the top and even if we have got three games in hand we need to win there and see what happens next game. We have won at Old Trafford recently and hopefully we can do it again – but it is not just the United game. We need to win all of them.”
David Moyes:
“I can only see it as us winning. I want to be competing for the title and I`m not, so that for me is a big enough low, never mind thinking about who else wins it. City has its own focus and we have ours. We need to pick up points to try to get to the top end of the league.”
Wayne Rooney:
“The Olympiacos game gave us a big lift in confidence and belief as well in ourselves. This was a good result for us going into the derby so we’re looking forward to an exciting game and hopefully get a good result.’
Manchester United Team News:
OUT:
Richards; Aguero; Nastasic
LATE FITNESS TEST:
City from: Hart; Pantilimon; Zabaleta; Lescott; Kompany; Demichelis; Clichy; Nasri; Fernandinho; Silva; Y Toure; Navas; Kolarov; Richards; Milner; Garcia; Dzeko; Negredo
Player to watch: David Silva
The magician returned to his best against Hull City scoring a superb goal, his 6th of the season, and playing in Edin Dzeko to finish a job for the 10 man team. A delight to watch when he is pulling the strings in the City midfield, he has shown that he deal with the attention which his talent usually attracts from the opposition players to find space and deliver the passes which cut sides open.
Manchester City Team News:
OUT:
Smalling; van Persie; Ferdinand; Vidic (suspended)
LATE FITNESS TEST:Evans; Valencia
United from: de Gea; Lindegaard; Rafael; Evra; Jones; Ferdinand; Evans; Buttner; Mata; Giggs; Carrick; Young; Cleverley; Fletcher; Kagawa; Fellaini; Januzaj; Rooney; Nani; Hernandez; Welbeck
Player to watch: David de Gea
The United keeper has come a long way since his inauspicious first season with the Stretfords and he appears to have secured the goalkeeping slot ahead of his rival Lindergaard. His saves in the Champion`s League match against European Giants Olympiacos were timely and kept United in the game – not much more you can ask from a keeper really. His distribution is one of his key assets and he is capable of rapid & accurate releasing of the ball (are you watching Joe Hart?).
Match Facts & Stats
THE NUMBERS GAME:
City have won four out the last seven encounters against United
United`s three victories in that same sequence have all been by a single goal in 3-2 results
The last time City & United played out a 0-0 draw was November 2010 during the sequence of draws that led to the demise of Mark Hughes
There has been only one other time since the inception of the Premier League when neither side scored in the derby – November 2004 – which saw Untied rack up 16 corners to City`s 1 and Alan Smith dismissed in the 89th minute
Head To Head
League: League: 41 City Wins, 49 Draws, 59 united Wins
League Cup: League Cup: 3 City Wins, 1 Draw, 2 united Wins
FA Cup: FA Cup: 3 City Wins, 5 united Wins
Other Cup: 2 united Wins
Total: 47 City Wins, 50 Draws, 68 united Wins
This Could Be The Last Time:
Su 22Sep 2013 Man City 4 – Man Utd 1 PL
Mo 08Apr 2013 Man Utd 1 – 2 Man City PL
Su 09Dec 2012 Man City 2 – 3 Man Utd PL
Mo 30Apr 2012 Man City 1 – 0 Man Utd PL
Su 08Jan 2012 Man City 2 – 3 Man Utd FAC
Su 23Oct 2011 Man Utd 1 – 6 Man City PL
Betting: United 5/2 Draw 13/5 City 23/20 Racing Post Soccerbase.
TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1 & Sky Sports 1HD
LiveOnSat.com.
FORM LAST SIX FIXTURES ALL COMPETITIONS:B
UNITED: WLWLWW
CITY: WWLLWW
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN THE VMC FORUM
CLASSIC CITY: We`ve come a long way since then?.. United 1-2 Man City 2003/2004
Ref Watch:
Michael Oliver of Northumberland 4th Official: Phil Dowd of Staffordshire
Match Prediction:
Skoorb On The Spot:Monday 11th February 2013 and the headline from The Independent`s James Lawton screamed out “Has the Premier League title ever been surrendered so pathetically?” following City`s poor performance against Southampton which left the club some 12 points behind Stretford`s Finest. One year on and Manuel Pellegrini takes his City team to The Theatre of Nightmares for the first time with last season`s champions comfortably berthed in mid-table some 12 points behind City, a massive 18 (eighteen) behind the current Premier League leaders and potentially needing to win the Champions League to avoid the ignominy of not having any European football next season. At least they have avoided being drawn into a relegation battle. I think it would be safe to say that City`s achievement last season has been eclipsed and the torch has been passed to Stretford`s Finest ??..although strangely Lawton has been somewhat shy in repeating his damning assessment on David Moyes`s team. Funny that. City come into this game with their captain Vincent Kompany restored to the defence after suspension and the possibility of a return for Sergio Aguero who has suffered another injury blighted season. With United having clinging desperately to the hope that the Champions League can save their season and the delight which Thursday/Sunday European football offers they will be just as keen to seek revenge for the 4-1 mauling they received at The Etihad last September. Form tends to go out of the window in derby games as we all know so City will have to be on their mettle. City have yet to return to their fluent best and certainly this fixture does not find them in the same streak of goal scoring form but buoyed by a gritty, resilient 10 man victory over Hull City and a resounding victory over Fulham they have rarely found themselves needing much motivation to take on the team from just outside Manchester. With title rivals Arsenal up next this match is the latest in the continuing series of ‘must win` encounters facing the Sky Blues. A critical three points and morale boosting performance could set that game up very nicely indeed. With United`s players buoyed by victory`s over European footballing Giants Olympiacos and fellow mid-table rivals West Ham and boosted by Rooney`s ‘Wonder Goal of the 21st Century` (TM the British Media) it looks like a tight encounter could be on the cards.United 1 City 2
Next Fixtures:
All times East Manchester
Sa 29 Mar 17h30 Arsenal, The Emirates, PL
Sa 05 April 12h45 Southampton, The Etihad, PL
Su 13 April 13h30 Liverpool, Anfield, PL
We 16 April 19h45 Sunderland, The Etihad, PL
Mo 21 April 20h00 West Brom, The Etihad, PL
Su 27 April 16h10 Crystal Palace, Selhurst Park, The Etihad, PL
Sa 03 May 15h00 Everton, Goodison Park, PL
We 07 May 19h45 Aston Villa, The Etihad, PL
Su 11 May 15h00 West Ham United, The Etihad, PL