Manchester City V Manchester United

We've already done it once at their place this season, I have 100% belief we will do it again!

3 more days to go.

C'MON United, I don't usually root for United, just against City

Hope you beat them hard

I'm genuinely nervous because Manchester City have just hit a fine run of form, whereas we're fresh from an embarrassing 4-4 draw at home to Everton. I just hope we'll see three in midfield, so that we don't get overrun, and so that Silva is kept quiet, essentially cut him from having a significant impact. Richards is a doubt, and if the case is he is out, then I fancy Nani against Zabaleta.

Interesting article from the MEN on the run up to the derby. They did a survey on where the the majority of the support for both teams reside in Manchester.


full article. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/s/1492123_manchester-derby-map-men-survey-reveals-where-city-and-united-fans-really-come-from


It's one of the hottest
topics of debate whenever football fans meet in Manchester - where do
followers of City and United really come from?

Now, in the run-up to Monday's crunch Manchester derby, the MEN can
finally confirm two general truths - Stockport belongs to the Blues and
Salford is Red.

In an entirely unscientific exercise, and just for a bit of fun ahead of
the big match, we invited supporters on our website to say which team
they supported and then indicate the area they live in.

A total of 2,163 United fans contributed to the study, along with 1,175
City fans.

The survey found a clear split between areas to the east and north of
Manchester, where Blues fans were generally in the majority, and areas
to the west - where the Reds have the upper hand.

City fans were in the majority in every one of the Stockport postcodes
and also in many areas of Tameside and Oldham.

Blue strongholds include Hyde, Dukinfield, and Stockport town centre,
where more than 70 per cent of those polled said they were City fans.

Over in Salford, central and south Manchester and parts of Trafford, the
results were reversed.

In Eccles, Worsley and central Salford, more than 70 per cent said they
were Reds.

The area around Old Trafford is also apparently a Red stronghold, with
71 per cent of those in the M16 postcodes supporting Manchester United.

Read more at: http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/s/1492123_manchester-derby-map-men-survey-reveals-where-city-and-united-fans-really-come-from

28/4/12

Manchester City v Manchester United: not since Denis Law's back-heel goal of 1974 have stakes been so high- The Telegraph

No fear! Manchester City boss Mancini stays ice cool as title shootout with United looms - Mailn Online

Sir Alex Ferguson expects Manchester United to respond in 'shootout'- The Guardian

I wouldn't be surprised if it was a 0-0 with the amount of hype that Sky and the media are giving to the match.

Nerves are kicking in. Can't stop thinking about this match. :/

30/4/12

City v United: What derby match means for Manchester- BBC News

Thanks for updating the thread, Red 80s.

I'm really nervous...

No probs, mate.

The Manchester derby has grabbed America's attention...big time. I think this derby will be the biggest in the world in a year or two...if it isn't already.

England's game of year draws attention from across pond - CNN

Not good enough, right from kick off had the wrong line up....i hate when we play not to lose, because we usually end up losing. Phil Jones had a shocker for us.

The better team won. Simple as that. City are just a better team than us, we have to accept it right now. If they go on to win the title, they deserve it.

Onto SAF: Before the match, he said that united never go to play for a draw, which i find to be bs, judging by tonight's formation.

Playing a 5 man midfield including two players who are badly out off form (Giggs and Park), playing a badly out of form Jones at RB instead of Rafael. Not including Valencia and Welbeck in the line up too SAF got it completely wrong. We were far too defensive with no attacking options other than an isolated Rooney.

We kept inviting pressure and once we got the ball, we would hoof it up to Rooney to do all the work. It was so frustrating. We seemed to be on the verge of shutting them out in the 1st half up until a lapse of concentration from Smalling allowed Kompany to run behind him and head the goal. One moment of sloppiness undone us and our whole gameplan...right at the killer time- before HT.

2nd half, we left off where we started. We didn't impose ourselves in the game and didn't create anything of any note. City continued to dominate posession and looked far too comfortable, especially in a game of this magnitude. We just didn't show the fight that was needed. So dissapointing!

It ain't over till it's over of course, but it most likely is. We will have to rely on NewC and QPR to contain a fully rejuvenated City, whilst we have to win our next 2 games too. This team looks as though it has lost the fight.

This team is just not good enough. SAF will have to spend and bring in the quality a club of our stature deserve. No more reliant on players like Giggs and Park. WTF were they even starting in a match of this scale ffs?.

A disastrous season that has had the positivity of individual performances. The coming of age of DDG to prove his doubters wrong. The emergence of Welbeck and his partnership with Rooney. The form of Valencia, the goal scoring form of Rooney and the class return of Scholes. Only those positives I can think of.

WE BLEW AN 8 POINT LEAD. a stone set reminder of the casualness and complacency that has spread through out the team this season.

SAF- sort it out this summer. I fully trust he will.

UTID.

First of all, credit to Manchester City for outplayed us once again, when most of the pressure was on them to deliver, in such a crucial game. Despite there being a lot of indecisiveness, there was only one team on the field today, and it wasn't the team in red. Yaya Toure was sensational, and was my man of the match. The way he can carry the midfield is breathtaking, his great attitude, his professionalism and contribution make him such a deadly asset to have. Kompany and Clichy, also, were outstanding in the defence, and dominated throughout. It's startling to see the Frenchman have such a significant impact this season, when you consider that last season he was more of a liability. He looks like a rejuvenated figure.

As soon as I seen the team sheet, I knew that the final outcome would be a loss, I just didn't want to make that comment, as I obviously have more faith in the team to deliver in such a massive game. From defence to attack, we never looked convincing enough to merit even a draw. We couldn't even get a single shot on target, and that essentially summed up our whole performance. What annoyed me the most was that we couldn't attack coherently, we looked a man short up front for the majority of the game, and it was only when Welbeck was brought on that was seen a change to the game. He did more than Rooney, who looks a shadow of his former self when he has played as a lone striker this season, and that's largely down to him not playing in such an isolated role on regular basis.

The support behind though was even worse, to a large extent. Jones' composure has degraded, since the start of the season, but it's even more worrying the performances he has put in since, ironically, the Manchester City game earlier this year, in the FA Cup. Rafael is so much more composed, and acts as a genuine attacking outlet, who has the ability to cross the ball in a much more better manner than what we have been seeing all season with Jones. It's certainly the lack of composure that needs to be addressed, and it doesn't all belong to Jones. There were many occasions, where there were team mates available, but some of our players opted to add more pressure and pass it short to a player who was marked, or hoof the ball, instead of using a bit more knowledge. The pressure got to the players today. The goal that was conceded was basic defending, and it's simple errors like that which result in losing or winning the title. I must say, the shifting of Smalling and Jones has done nothing but cause havoc, however, a player of Smalling's quality should be using more sense. He was unlucky, but it's a great learning experience for him, and he should use that next season. I don't think he'll play a part in the last two games, unless we experience an injury crisis.

Our man of the match was Carrick. Players of his ilk need to be given more credit, and he has contributed more than Rooney has this season, with his outstanding defensive duties. Scholes and Nani never got into the game ideally, but they come in at second and third respectively. If there's one thing I can't comprehend, it's the decision to start, both, Park and Giggs. Park is a decent option to have, I suppose, when your team doesn't have the ball, but he's erratic on the ball. The decision not to start Valencia was poor, and he would have added more directness and crosses into our game.

To beat Manchester United, all you need to do is add high pressure. Time and time again, our team struggles with teams that like to press high up the pitch, and credit to Mancini for spotting this. This hasn't been a common factor this season, but in the last few seasons we have struggled to deal with this sort of tactic, and it subsequently results into our players hoofing the ball up, gifting the opposition the ball, in the process. I'm upset that we lost, this result does hurt, after doing so well to make ground up, after our embarrassing 1-6 defeat at home, against Manchester City. They are in the driving seat now, but if football has taught my one thing it's that now there is more pressure on Manchester City to deliver.

Finally, congratulations to the Manchester City fans, you have outclassed us on both occasions this season, and you have thoroughly deserved the wins. You're simply a superior team, and will only get better if you win the league.