This Sunday the theatre of dreams will stage the most eagerly awaited Manchester derby fixture the city has ever witnessed. Local bragging rights are up for grabs, and a place at the summit of English football’s premier league for that team that is victorious.
The mind games have already started and Sir Alex Ferguson this week implied that United had already played the so called “top four” teams which ruled City out as a major threat, obviously a tongue in cheek comment!
I regard this as the most eagerly awaited derby fixture because this is the first time in my lifetime I have witnessed City two points clear of United going into a derby fixture. Labelled as ‘Noisy Neighbours‘ by Sir Alex, City are now living up to that tag because of the football they are playing and the position they occupy.
Both United & City have started the league in scintillating fashion scoring goals for fun and both teams remain unbeaten, I definitely see one teams unbeaten tag leaving them this weekend as I would bet against it being a draw with the embarrassment of world class players on show.
The teams have already played once this Year in the seasons curtain opener in the Community Shield, United 2-0 down at half time staged an incredible comeback to win the game 3-2 but like many United supporters you would have to say that you cannot read too much into that result as following that game City have hit the floor running in the premier league, but Sunday represents their first real test against the champions.
I wrote an article before the season started claiming that City would be our main threat to a 20th league title and that tree looks like it will bear fruit come the end of the season. Excitement is building in Manchester ahead of the game, let’s just hope we get the game that we have all come to expect and are predicting.
A win for United would put them top and a point ahead of City, a win for City would put them top and five points ahead of their Mancunian rivals, and it’s all to play for and should be an electrifying passionate atmosphere at Old Trafford.
Form guide:
Man United: WWWDWD
Man City: WWDWWW
Opta stats:
There have been five 90th minute or later goals scored in the last eight matches in all competitions between City and United, three of them to win the match for United.
Possible starting XIs:
Manchester United: De Gea, Smalling, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Nani, Giggs, Fletcher, Young, Rooney, Hernandez.
Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Kompany, Clichy, Y Toure, De Jong, Silva, Nasri, Balotelli, Aguero
Kevin Ashford @KevinAshford7