Manchester City vs. Manchester United

I reckon we could set up like either of these:

DDG
Smalling - Evans - Ferdinand - Evra
Carrick
Scholes - Cleverley
Valencia ------------------- Nani
Rooney



DDG
Smalling - Evans - Ferdinand - Evra
Valencia - Scholes - Carrick - Nani
Rooney - Welbeck​

I think the latter is more probable, it's unlikely that Cleverley will be handed a start in this game.
 
From a City point of view, if they want to win this they should line up positively with Tevez, Aguero, Silva and Toure alongside Barry and Milner with no De Jong in sight.

That would be enough players to really pressure us and physically get into us and hustle us and cause us a lot of problems. It'd be enough to stop us playing our own game.

If he decides to line up with De jong and play it cautious and contain us I think it'll play right into our hands. If they play the above team and we have Giggs on the field it'll be alot more than £50 I'll be putting on City to win it.
 
How big is this derby?

Well I go to CNN.com today and what is on the front page but a big headline link to this article

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/29/us/manchester-derby-america/index.html?hpt=hp_c1


No shit, picture of Rooney and everything right on CNN's US Home Page. Now skip the comment section on the article it is the usual cringworthy internet trolls making ignorant comments about football, American Football, etc etc etc.
 
Rumours of parking coming in? Anyone else heard that. Surely - given his lack of playing time and form - he won't play.

Five and a half hours to go - got mates coming over to watch it along with plenty of beer. Nervous as hell already.
 
Think Nani is really gonna come through for us tonight, has to start.
 
This whole Park to start thing is bollocks.

Where on earth do you think these rumours come from, it's likely that the players wont know til this afternoon who is playing and it's probably just Ferguson and Phelan who know how we are planning to shape up right now.
 
Just something to bare in mind. We've already met thrice this season. We've won 2.
 
This whole Park to start thing is bollocks.

Where on earth do you think these rumours come from, it's likely that the players wont know til this afternoon who is playing and it's probably just Ferguson and Phelan who know how we are planning to shape up right now.

United have been working for several days in training with a system in which Park operates in a packed, five-man midfield, with Wayne Rooney the solitary striker.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-add-solidity-to-united-midfield-7689082.html
 
Stan Collymore has a record of getting team news earlier than most for big games, maybe 6ish. Not so long till we know where we stand.
 
I would be very surprised if Park started simply because he has played so little of late. But it is true that historically he has served us very well in these kinds of games, and if SAF trusts him that is good enough for me.
 
People predicting comfortable wins, you're more delusional than scousers.

Thank feck you didnt call me a delusional scouser :)

I dont give a toss what formation or players they decide to play against us.

City have to win this game,Its a massive pressure that they will never have felt before, its dead simple think of it this way ,IF city score first what do they do? do they defend and hope to catch us on a break knowing full well if we equalise they are back to square one or do they go from more goals and we could score against them again,thats where we hold a massive advantage we can cope with anything they throw at us and can adapt better whatever the circumstances.

I have lost count of the number of posters who are saying they would take the draw, Bollocks this needs finishing no loose ends no more second chances.
United will score very early and catch them on the break at every opportunity.

I'm nervous but in excited way, the noisy neighbours are about to be silenced ,you just watch United go tonight!!
 

Have we been training at Carrington because I thought it was completely closed off to the prying eyes of the media?

If we play Park or Giggs I'm going to be on suicide watch. Both of whom, especially against teams like City who can both hold possession and pressure with tenacity add nothing and in parks case his technical inadequacies are exposed and in Giggs' case his physical inadequacies are exposed in that play just passes him by. I'd have Cleverley ahead of either of them.
 
We're all incredibly nervous. Luckily out there tonight we'll have players who have done this time and time again. Do you think Paul Scholes is nervous? Like feck.
 
We're all incredibly nervous. Luckily out there tonight we'll have players who have done this time and time again. Do you think Paul Scholes is nervous? Like feck.

Some people think that Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will be sat back in the dressing-room, smoking a cigar before the game because they have so much experience. But the reality is that they will be crapping themselves! No matter how many times you have played, you will be anxious, nervous and uptight in the dressing room before the game.

- Lou Macari
 
I'd like to see Rooney up top on his own, Valencia on the right, Nani on the left and Young in behind Rooney...Scholes and Carrick in the centre. Young will be direct and look to get shots off at goal in within range, whereas Welbeck is more into trying to play more fancy football, which will frustrate the feck out of me tonight if hes flicks etc don't come off.

I'm confident tonight and have put £5 on United to win 3-1.
 
Do you think Paul Scholes is nervous? Like feck.
Andy Cole: City and United players will need tunnel vision ahead of the Manchester derby

I never used to warm up on the pitch. Teammates used to ask, "How can you play without warming up?" But stretches inside the dressing room area were enough for me. The first I saw of the full stadium was when I walked out into it. I just wanted to get straight into the game and before that I would just relax and take in the atmosphere.

Our goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, was a bit different. He'd have about 20 towels which were always arranged in order. He drank water - but only water at room temperature.

Dwight Yorke used to do keepy-ups while Paul Scholes kicked a football around the dressing room. Still does.

He aims it at the bin, at peoples' heads. And because he's so accurate he'll hit them. Roy Keane would be concentrated and serious with a few cutting comments, then a ball would ping off his head from Scholesy. Keane would be angry and then smile because it was Scholes. The dressing room would laugh, the mood would be lifted. No player would reach the top level if he was consistently overcome by nerves or anxiety.
 
We're all incredibly nervous. Luckily out there tonight we'll have players who have done this time and time again. Do you think Paul Scholes is nervous? Like feck.

He's probably sitting at home having an afternoon nap and watching the Snooker. With the pokerist of faces.
 
Some people think that Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will be sat back in the dressing-room, smoking a cigar before the game.

Could be worse.

5RovQ.jpg
 
There are to many hours in the day!!! feck you clocks, feck you!!
 
Roy Keane would be concentrated and serious with a few cutting comments, then a ball would ping off his head from Scholesy. Keane would be angry and then smile because it was Scholes. The dressing room would laugh, the mood would be lifted

:lol:

Great image!