Manchester City’s players are already planning Manchester United’s down fall for this Sunday’s Manchester derby. City’s staff are planning to cash in on United’s Champions League euphoria and steal three points from under the noses of their city rivals, offering Liverpool fans every where a glint of hope.City’s players are reportedly intent of getting some glory for their fans in what has been an other wise disappointing season. United are likely to rest several key players ahead of the game so a win for the blue half of Manchester is a real possibility.
It is likely that United heads will still be in the clouds after their rampant 4-1 victory over Arsenal and City defender, Vincent Kompany, insists his side are perfectly poised to cause an upset. He said: “Thanks to our four wins in a row, you couldn't build any more confidence ahead of a big game like the derby.”
“We have proved we are a good side. We have been well organised, got forward quickly and scored goals. I hope we can win our last three games but hopefully six or seven points will be enough to claim seventh place.”
Sir Alex Ferguson could field a number of fringe players for the game, creating an opportunity for City to win one of the biggest derbies in world football. Mark Hughes is under pressure to deliver at City considering the financial backing the club now has.
He will be under big pressure to win games such as this one and it is a match that City will have to play out of their skins in, if they are to get any where near, arguably, the greatest ever United side. It is also unlikely that whichever eleven walks out for United will take the game lightly. The atmosphere surrounding a derby automatically lifts the players.
This can eradicate any amount of fatigue that may have crept into the United side. They will want to assert their dominance over their rivals, despite City players being virtually certain that this time they have got United’s number.
Old Trafford has been something of a fortress this season and only Liverpool have gone there and completely taken apart United, who seem to score at will in the majority of games they play.
City’s hope that United will still be in a European frame of mind could also back fire. Players such as Cristiano Ronaldo could well be spurred on by the ample success they had over Arsenal and there is nothing like success to breed more success.
No doubt City will get stuck in and could have been planning for the game for weeks before hand, but no amount of preparation can compensate for a moment of individual brilliance, something that United have no end of.
If City’s big players do not turn up then it could well be another bad weekend and a humiliating one for City fans as they go back to work on Monday. United are likely to come out and try to mute City’s main influences e.g. Stephen Ireland and Robinho. The bookies are backing United and the majority are probably with them.
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