Manchester United v Manchester City

Nani will start. He has to. Just hope he has a run out and nothing more.

Honestly these friendlies make my blood boil.
 
Sarni said:
Not a chance we'd win the game with that team, mind you we will probably put our best side on the pitch anyway.
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Rubbish, you compare that to the relative Man City side without their international call ups and while they may have a decent strikeforce in Džeko and Tévez but the rest of the team are the likes of Boyata, Vieria and an injured De Jong. United would dominate that midfield, and Berbatov and Owen would be too much for Boyata and an inexperienced back four to be able to cope with.

I'd much rather have the likes of Evra, Park, Berbatov, Scholes, Giggs and Van der Sar myself.
 
Rio Ferdinand is understood to be losing his battle to be ready for Saturday’s encounter with City after suffering a calf injury while warming for the Wolves match last weekend. United also have concerns over Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling.

Evans, who stepped in for Ferdinand at Molineux, will miss Northern Ireland’s Carling Nations Cup tie against Scotland in Dublin on Wednesday night after withdrawing from the squad with an ankle injury suffered in training on Tuesday.

And Smalling is targeting a return to training on Wednesday after being pulled out of the England Under-21 squad for Tuesday’s friendly against Italy in Empoli with a knock.

Ferguson’s initial insistence, after the defeat at Wolves, that Ferdinand would be out for two weeks with his calf injury had been softened with the England captain undergoing intensive treatment on the problem since Sunday.

But while the 32 year-old has responded to treatment, Saturday’s game is viewed as being too soon for a return to action, leaving Ferguson facing a problem over who to select alongside Vidic.

Should Evans and Smalling fail to prove their fitness, the out-of-favour Wes Brown could be drafted in for his first Premier League appearance since the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Nov 13.

Although the Serbian FA contacted United last month to inform them that Vidic would be required for Wednesday night’s game in Tel Aviv, the United captain has missed the trip after national coach Vladimir Petrovic – who has selected City defender Aleksandar Kolarov to face Israel – accepted United’s request for the 29 year-old to be rested ahead of the City game.

Darren Fletcher is expected to overcome injuries to his ankle and eye socket in time for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, but United could be without Javier Hernández due to the forward’s anticipated late return from international duty with Mexico.

Hernández is set to play for Mexico against Bosnia this evening in Atlanta in a fixture which kicks-off at 1am UK time and Ferguson is not expecting him to return to Manchester until Friday morning, with the player flying back to England on a scheduled flight.

City forward Edin Dzeko has been excused from the Mexico fixture by national coach Safet Susic in order to help the £27 million forward adjust to life at Eastlands following his January arrival from Wolfsburg.

But while Dzeko is likely to be named as a substitute at Old Trafford, Mario Balotelli is rated at no more than 50-50 to be fit for a place in Roberto Mancini’s squad.

The Italian has been on the sidelines since December with a knee injury and, after 2½ weeks of rehabilitation in the United States, is still to return to full training.

Balotelli is currently on a programme of intensive drills at City’s Carrington training ground in an effort to put him in contention for Saturday, but the 20 year-old has yet to progress to ball work.
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Nemanja Vidic provides some relief for Manchester United's depleted defence as derby day looms - Telegraph

Dzeko gets the day off but Hernandez has to play :confused:
 
unitedbhoy said:
Isn't it possible that Ferguson is lying about the Smalling and Evans injuries to have them available in fulll fitness for Saturday?
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Wouldn't it make them more relieved /complacent if they thought Evans WAS going to be in defence on Saturday?
 
Team should be...

GK: VDS

RB: Rafael
CB: Smalling
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra

RM: Nani
CM: Fletcher
CM: Scholes
CM: Carrick
LM: Giggs

CF: Rooney

Subs: Lindegaard, O'Shea, Evans, Anderson, Gibson, Berbatov, Hernandez

Scholes has to play simply because they'll be so negative and wont press us in midfield so will need him to pull the strings however we dont want to get overrun in midfield so can only play 1 striker like we did against Arsenal and Rooney is better leading the line than Berbatov

I'll go for a 2-1 win :devil:
 
I think Berbatov might start because he is the fresher of the three - Rooney, Berba and Chica.
 
I'll be disappointed if Rooney is started over Berbatov, if we were to go with one up front.
 
Crustanoid said:
Wouldn't it make them more relieved /complacent if they thought Evans WAS going to be in defence on Saturday?
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Džeko struggled against the "Evra, Fletcher and Carrick" centreback combination last season, of course he'd worry about a bone fide center-back like Evans.
:lol:
 
Last season's line-up v City at home:

------------ Foster --------------
O'Shea - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra
Park - Anderson - Fletcher - Giggs
------ Rooney - Berbatov --------
 
Anyone else think it might be a good thing Tevez and Dzeko will both play? It pretty much forces City to play 4-4-2, and given they should be weaker than usual at midfield and defense, it should make it harder for them to fall into that 9-0-1 formation they played at the council house.
 
I hope Rio is fit for it but I really doubt it :(
 
too hard to call with park back, will he start on left with nani on right if thats the case its got to be either rooney or berba just one
 
Hopefully Anderson starts, if he doesn't then why give him a new contract ffs
 
Alex said:
Hopefully Anderson starts, if he doesn't then why give him a new contract ffs
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Yeah..... why not start him against City and give him a new contract. That seems completely illogical.

RDCR07 said:
I read a couple of articles which said he is losing the battle to get fit for the derby game. So it has to be either Evans or Smalling in with Vidic.
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Smalling please.
 
Bryan_Munich said:
Why, when Rooney has proved to be more adept up front on his own than Berbatov?
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tbf, Rooney has only displayed flashes of his ability all season although I would agree that he is a better as a lone striker than Berba.

At home though, I'd like to see both of them in a 4-4-2. If Park is back to play on the left, Giggs could slot in behind the front 2 and alternate with Park. Nani on the right and Carrick holding.

Smalling before Evans all day long...
 
Colin129 said:
tbf, Rooney has only displayed flashes of his ability all season although I would agree that he is a better as a lone striker than Berba.
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Agreed, reckon Fergie would pick him in a 4-5-1 despite that though.

At home though, I'd like to see both of them in a 4-4-2. If Park is back to play on the left, Giggs could slot in behind the front 2 and alternate with Park. Nani on the right and Carrick holding.

Smalling before Evans all day long...
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Scholes has to play for me.
 
I doubt we are going to go 4-5-1 at home against City. We started last season against City at home with a 4-4-2 and that was when Berba was not firing. Now it is different. I think Rooney and Berba will start.
 
Bryan_Munich said:
Scholes has to play for me.
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We've got so much to choose from its difficult to know where to start...:drool:

Love to see Scholes come on and score the winner with a classic rocket from outside the box...

Then some sort of man loving session between him & the Neviller perhaps?

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Colin129 said:
We've got so much to choose from its difficult to know where to start...:drool:

Love to see Scholes come on and score the winner with a classic rocket from outside the box...

Then some sort of man loving session between him & the Neviller perhaps?

article-0-092CAE79000005DC-483_306x647.jpg
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:D

Pissed off that Hernandez won't return to Manchester until approx. 10am on Friday. :mad:
 
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