Match Preview – Manchester City v Manchester United

Competition: FA Cup, Semi-Final 
Kick-Off & Date: 5:15pm, Saturday, 16th April 2011
Venue: Wembley, London (Neutral)
Live TV Coverage: ITV 1 (HD), 4:40pm – 7:20pm

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral, England)
Assistant Referees: Mike Mullarkey & Peter Kirkup
Fourth Official: Chris Foy
 

Form: City have not won once in their last 10 games away from Eastlands, with their last away victory coming over Newcastle at St. James Park last year. The Blues have not won a Manchester Derby in their last 4 attempts, with United winning 3 of those and the other ending scoreless. Furthermore, this is United’s opportunity to maintain City’s 35-year history of winning zip, zilch, zero. The FA Cup must be ours, and ours only. 

United are in top shape heading into Saturday’s Manchester Derby in London. The Red Devils are fresh from a 3-1 aggregate trouncing of Chelsea in the Champions League, and have won their last 7 games in all competitions. The only downside to playing Manchester City in The FA Cup is that Wayne Rooney is suspended from the game, while Sir Alex Ferguson continues his touchline ban in the stands. But we can beat ’em regardless !


The Injury Front: City are without former United striker Carlos Tevez for this tie, as the Argentine suffered a hamstring injury in his side’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield midweek. Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko are in contention to replace Tevez, as Micah Richards returns from a hamstring problem. 
 
Squad: Hart, Taylor, Richards, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Boyata, Wright-Phillips, De Jong, Y Toure, Vieira, Barry, Silva, Milner, A Johnson, Dzeko, Balotelli, Razak, McGivern, Guidetti.


United won’t be seeing Wayne Rooney on the teamsheet, as the 25-year-old striker remains out of action following a 2-match suspension after cursing into a TV Camera. He is only banned for domestic competitions, as is Jonny Evans following his red card against Bolton Wanderers. It’s likely that Dimitar Berbatov will be given what is now a rare start, but Darren Fletcher and Owen Hargreaves are sidelined. 

Squad: Van Der Sar, Kuszczak, Rafael, O’Shea, Brown, Ferdinand, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Fabio, Valencia, Gibson, Anderson, Scholes, Park, Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen.

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The Gaffer: Roberto Mancini was counting his chickens before they hatched at the start of the season, claiming Manchester City would go on to lift the Premier League, The FA Cup and the Europa League. However, after being knocked out of the league and Europe – Manchester United stand in his way of possible FA Cup success…

Most-Feared: David Silva appears to be City’s biggest threat to The Reds heading into Saturday evening’s game, with the 25-year-old Spanish winger capable of quite a lot down the wings. However his goalscoring record is nothing short of shabby – 6 goals in 42 appearances !…

The Ref: Well, with The FA attempting to knock us off our perch by banning Wayne Rooney – you wouldn’t put it past them appointing an Anti-United official. We won’t complain just yet, but it’s highly likely that the incompetent Mike Dean will be embroiled in controversy at the final whistle. We’ll just have to try and play around him !

United Latest‘s Prediction: Man City 0-2 United
– Chicharito & Luis Nani the Derby-Day heros ?

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