Date: Tuesday, March 25 Venue: Old Trafford Kick-Off: 19:45 Can Manchester City extend their wining run in Manchester derbys when they face neighbours United at Old Trafford on Tuesday?
Team News
Manchester United will be without Robin van Persie due to a knee injury the striker sustained in the Champions League last-16 second leg win over Olympiakos. Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling are doubts while captain Nemanja Vidic completes a two-match suspension after being sent off against Liverpool. City will be without their top goalscorer Sergio Aguero after the Argentinian picked up a muscle injury, while Matija Nastasic (knee) also misses out. Captain Vincent Kompany returns from a one-match suspension.
Key Stats
Manchester City have won four of the last five meetings with Manchester United, including a 4-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in September. City have also won on their last two visits to Old Trafford. United have the better overall record, winning 59 encounters to City's 41 in the league. Wayne Rooney has scored five goals in his last five games in all competitions against City.
Likely Line-Ups
Man Utd De Gea, Evra, Ferdinand, Jones, Rafael, Fellaini, Giggs, Carrick, Kagawa, Mata, Rooney Man City Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Nasri, Fernandinho, Toure, Silva, Dzeko, Negredo
Match Preview
We've had 'El Clasico' and now it's Manchester United and City's turn to battle it out in another high-profile derby as the two English heavyweights go head-to-head. But where Real Madrid and Barcelona were evenly matched in Sunday's clash, City have the rare distinction of travelling to Old Trafford as the overwhelming favourites. This has been a long, hard season for United, who have stuttered during David Moyes' first season in charge, and are without a win in their last two home Premier League games. The defending English champions have lost as many league games at the Theatre of Dreams this season (five) than in the previous three combined, and currently languish in seventh place. The last time they played in front of their own fans, the Red Devils were taken apart by Liverpool, and it has been more a case of the 'Theatre of Nightmares' from a Red's perspective recently. Another damning statistic that United fans might want to avoid is the fact they have won just once this season against sides currently in the top six, against Arsenal last November. It all makes for grim reading and it is little wonder all the signs point to an away victory here, with City warming up for this game with a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of Fulham. United's talisman Robin van Persie is out, as is suspended captain Nemanja Vidic, while City, admittedly without their top scorer Sergio Aguero, appear to have the stronger side. However, City boss Manuel Pellegrini denied his team were favourites going into this encounter, despite the fact they have not conceded a topflight goal since February. "I don't think we are favourites in any game," said the Chilean.
"We are in a good moment but we are playing against a big team in their own stadium, so I don't think we are the favourites. Of course we always expect to go and win every game but, I repeat, just because Manchester United have had a difficult season it does not mean we are going to win. We have to go there and play a very good game."
Honeyed words from the former Malaga manager, but it is difficult to envisage anything less than a City win here. Prediction: 0-3