Battle of Manchester Part One

For the first time in 44 years, City will go into the Manchester derby as reigning English soccer champions, but the bragging rights from pipping United to the title on the final day of last season will count for nothing if Ferguson’s side inflict a first league defeat of the season on Roberto Mancini’s men at Eastlands tomorrow.
United are three points clear of second placed City at the top of the English Premier League and the prospect of allowing their bitter rivals to extend that lead is certain to provoke a ferocious response from the hosts after their exit from the Champions League in midweek. With United showing alarming defensive frailties in recent weeks, encapsulated by a chaotic 4-3 win at Reading last week, Ferguson knows it won’t be easy to subdue City, especially as the Blues have a formidable record on their home turf.

City haven’t lost a league home game since Everton won at Eastlands in December 2010 and they can also take confidence from a pair of league victories over their bitter rivals last season.
In the circumstances, Ferguson believes a derby victory would rank as one of the all-time great United triumphs. “If we win (tomorrow) it will be one of our best ever results. They are a really good, powerful team with massive players,” Ferguson said.

“It won’t be easy and if we defend like we did at Reading we’ll be in trouble.
“The important thing for us is to take lessons from the mistakes we’re making and do something about it. We need to find a solution.”
Mancini, meanwhile, hopes to field David Silva in tomorrow’s Manchester derby against United — a game the Italian admits his Manchester City side “can’t lose”. Silva has made a remarkable recovery from a hamstring injury suffered in the midweek Uefa Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund and could come into contention at the Etihad Stadium.

“We will try with David,” said Mancini, who will also monitor the progress made by fellow injury victims Gael Clichy and James Milner.
“It is a big risk because afterwards we have a lot of games between now and the end of December and we need all the players to recover.” Manchester United are currently three points clear of their neighbours and Mancini insisted: “They can lose because they have three points more. We have three points less and we can’t lose.

“They are better than us at this moment.
“We have only been here for two years. They are used to playing these games in the title race for 20 years. They have won everything for 15 years. You can’t change this in two or three years. You need more time.

“For this reason they have a small advantage.” Mancini faced renewed questions about his future after City’s latest European flop and a defeat to United would only add to the pressure on the Italian. Reports of Guardiola or Mourinho replacing him at the end of the season make unpleasant reading.

Fixtures (all 5pm unless stated)
Today: Arsenal v West Brom, Aston Villa v Stoke, Southampton v Reading, Sunderland v Chelsea, Swansea v Norwich, Wigan v QPR.
Tomorrow: Everton v Tottenham, Manchester City v Manchester United (3:30pm), West Ham v Liverpool (6pm).
Monday: Fulham v Newcastle (10pm)
Leading English Premier League scorers
10: Ba (Newcastle), Michu (Swansea City), Suarez (Liverpool), van Persie (Man United)
9: Defoe (Tottenham)
8: Fellaini (Everton)
7: Tevez (Manchester City)
6: Bale (Tottenham), Dzeko (Manchester City), Fletcher (Sunderland), Lambert (Southampton)
5: Aguero (Manchester City), Berbatov (Fulham), Chicharito (Manchester United), Jelavic (Everton), Long (West Bromwich), Lukaku (West Bromwich), Mata (Chelsea), Nolan (West Ham)
4: Cazorla (Arsenal), Crouch (Stoke City), Giroud (Arsenal), Kone (Wigan), Le Fondre (Reading), Odemwingie (West Bromwich), Petric (Fulham), Podolski (Arsenal), Rooney (Manchester United), Routledge (Swansea City), Torres (Chelsea), Walcott (Arsenal). — AFP.