The Official Match Day Thread - Manchester United vs Manchester City

Welcome to the match thread to discuss all the action in this highly anticipated clash between Manchester United and Manchester City.

Kick off - 13-30

Match preview

Old Trafford provides the setting for a titanic clash on Sunday with top spot in the Premier League and Manchester bragging rights up for grabs.Both sides have played some exhilarating football during the early part of the season and are unbeaten in their opening eight league games going into one of the most eagerly-awaited derbies in years.

They have already met once this term, of course, with United coming from behind to prevail 3-2 in the Community Shield at Wembley back in August.While it is hard to draw too many conclusions from that game about what can be expected this weekend, hopes are high that it will be a similarly thrilling affair full of attacking endeavour.

Team news

United

• Nemanja Vidic and Ferdinand expected to both start in the centre back partnership (UPDATE, Vidic is replaced by Evans)
• Tom Cleverley remains sidelined due to a foot injury
• Rafael has a shoulder injury so is also sidelined

City

• Balotelli to return after he missed the midweek champions league match due to suspension
• Owen Hargreaves will be assessed in a late practice match

Starting 11 and subs

Man Utd: De Gea, Smalling, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Anderson, Young, Rooney, Welbeck.
Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Berbatov, Park, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure Yaya, Barry, Milner, Silva, Balotelli, Aguero.

Subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Dzeko, Kolarov, Nasri, Toure, De Jong.

 

vidic is out. Evans in. My confidence just plummeted.

 

I don't know why people are feeling like this. Who's been our best central defender this season? Evans.

Watch him have a bad game now, I've jinxed him.

 

Don't spose there is a decent thread kicking about is there?

 

Fletcher starts. Even when he's ****ter than usual, Fergie still perseveres with him.

Rooney will have to drop back and help Anderson out in midfield.

 

I hope you guys win today! Lets face it if you don't win the league Man City will! (and that would be a shame for English football)
Best of luck lads!

Newcastle fan in peace.

 

Evans has impressed me with his aerial presence and physical ability this season. To be honest, I'm almost at the stage now where I'd rather have him and Rio or him and Jones ahead of Rio and Jones. Rio and Jones are both great ball playing defenders, but lacking the aerial and physical prowess of Vidic imo, something that showed against Basel where all three of their goals came from crosses or headers they didn't deal with. Ditto against Stoke when Crouch scored.

I'd obviously rather have Vidic back alongside Rio or Jones, but if he's not fit enough to be risked then I'm happy with Evans in there.

 

Who would you rather have in there? Fletcher may not be doing great this season, but he does seem to do pretty well in tough games where he can let his destructive tendencies dominate. I doubt we'll win the battle in the centre against Toure and Silva, but Fletcher could well help solidify the centre enough for our wingers to have a decent run at their full backs.

Nani vs Clichy = tasty

 

I'd have numbers in there. City will dominate the midfield.

If Carrick and Giggs are unavailable then I'd have Park in there as a third man. We have to compensate for lack of quality with quantity.

 

Anyone know where I can find a link to watch the match?
My laptop died, I am at work (Sunday night here) making papers for tomorrow's lessons.

 

Straight swap with Carrick. Fletcher looked better defensively against Liverpool but around 2009 he was very, very good attacking as well. Scored goals and got assists. Right now, neither facets to his game are firing at all cylinders. Also there is also Anderson to contemplate. I think he performs better with Carrick than Fletcher atm.

 

DAMN 1 nil to city

 

http://www.firstrowsports.tv/watch/87768/1/watch-manchester-united-vs-manchester-city.html

 

****s sake. We have been so much better its unreal.

 

Really?

 

Half time and ****ty lead against the run of play, as usual.

 

We have no end product.

 

Those last 10 mins of play when Welbeck was more involved was crucial. In games this like, the opposition have a solid back 4 that aren't playing a high line, we need some composure when we get towards their penalty box. Think of Nani's first goal in the CS. We had a few shots on target towards the end which showed that we did start to create some space which seems like is going to come at a premium today. So things aren't all bad.

Our midfield just has this innate openess to it this season and I don't really understand why. It's probably testament to our defence that have generally coped well with the opposition bypassing our midfield too easily. Don't expect us to be open from the flanks though, that's where they scored from.

 

There's only one likely outcome.

 

The scottish player is having another barnstormer. Not entirely his fault though.