Both Toures and Barry are unavailable. Mario is also in doubt. Could be nerve racking few days for the Blues.
Whichever club loses will immediately be able to play the "concentrate on the league title" card. With the Europa League plus 2 or 3 more Carling Cup matches for us, it's kind of hard to argue the logic. I think the additional rest for the club that loses this match will be a definite advantage (fatigue, fewer chances for injury, etc.), assuming similar Europa League runs for both clubs and a long FA Cup run by the club that wins on Sunday. Not to say either club can't do a double or triple (although only one can do a quadruple--suck that SAF), but if the league is the most important prize then I won't be heartbroken if we lose on Sunday and clinch the league on, oh, let's say April 28. But I will take 6-1 in a heartbeat on both of those dates, and expect that Sunday's match will be an intense affair.
Yesterday after seeing them I thought - we're going to batter them. So naturally today brings news that the Toures have to go to Africa and Balotelli is likely to be injured. We are still better than them but our midfield suddenly looks kind of weak. Barry is suspended, De Jong is in poor form, and can Hargreaves be trusted to perform at such a high level with so few games under his belt? That leaves Milner as the only safe option, we could also put Nasri in the Yaya role as Nasri can pass the ball like few others and much of Yaya's role includes passing and ball retention. Abdul Razak would be the last resort but I remember Boyata in the Carling Cup semi being drafted in and looking very shaky and nervous, so not sure if this is the time to play a kid. The De Rossi deal is looking very unlikely but I think Mancini will definitely have a list of midfielders he wants.
Rumours that Mario and Dzeko both struggling to be fit in time for the derby, leaving Aguero as the only striker. Yep, the richest team in the world could have only one striker available! Our top youth strikers all out on loan. Silva can play up front as he did for Spain recently but is not a true striker. We could go into the derby without Mario, Dzeko, Yaya, Kolo, and Barry - United's deal with the devil paying dividends I see!
I'm off to the game in half an hour, I can never enjoy derby day... too many nerves! If we win, I'll sit back and enjoy the game on TV when I come home. If we lose, I'll erase the game from memory.
no Hart - what's this reserve goalkeeper like? Man United bringing Paul Scholes back... any chance of City bringing Viera back for this lol!
HT: Man City 0-3 Man United This game reminds me of the home match you guys had last season vs. Arsenal... was a similar story / outcome. Anyhoo, first half has been a total disaster for City, or has it? Are you better off without an FA Cup run in the scheme of things?
I just got home, literally had to be held back when Shrek came over waving his badge. A total stitch-up job by a joke referee, we seem to be getting a red card every game by an association desperate to see us fail. Proud of the boys, didn't feel like a loss, singing in the corridors after the game, etc. Today showed just what a TEAM Mancini has built.
Shrek was instrumental in the sending off. Nani played on going after Milner who got the ball. Rooney threw his arms up and ran over to Foy. Not sure the ref even saw the challenge before that as Rooney was in his face before the whistle was blown.
This was worse than Kompany's tackle, not even a yellow card. One set of rules for United, another for the rest. Same every year and a huge part in why they have won so much. I'm not deluded enough to say it's THE reason they have won so much but no other team is gifted so many minor and major decisions, it is crystal clear to everyone who doesn't support them. Oh, and Evra's elbow to Richards that the referee saw and turned a blind eye too.
Appeal failed today Kompany card. Was not going to be easy to get the FA to disagree with that card. Regardless, we are a stronger team after that half, and will hopefully be able to dispatch of Liverpool handily tomorrow.
No surprise - since overturning the decision would have been inconvenient to Ferguson, it was never realistic. The game is descending into a farce. http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/WhoWeAre/TheOrganisation/Player/TheDecisionMakers - sixth name down, if you don't know who he is, search David Gill in Google. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZJn4UgpjY4&feature=player_embedded"]Rooney Portsmouth Tackle - YouTube[/ame]
The chairman isn't an active employee of another club. There is NO conflict of interest there, Manchester United's CEO should not be on the board of the FA - end of.
My gripe is with the FA, not the Kompany sending off as such. If the British game is heading in a way that doesn't encourage tackling, where every wayward tackle will be punished then I have no qualms with the Kompany sending off. It's infuriating that the FA and referees are no where near consistent enough. Look at Glen Johnson's tackle tonight, not even a foul - now in the spirit of the game, it was never a dangerous tackle and quite rightfully so, but if Kompany's going to be handed a red for exactly the same then Johnson deserves the same treatment. It's THIS inconsistency which bemuses fans, managers and players alike. The FA are complete and utter hypocrites. How do they have the nerve to appeal against Rooney's assault on the Montenegro player for a malicious, intent off-the-ball incident, yet they remain completely oblivious to the fact that when they are the ones making the decisions they make so many wrong decisions. Ultimately, the appeal process is pointless! Other barmy decisions over the past week or so: Gutierez (spelt his name wrong, you know, Argentine winger at Newcastle) booked for celebrating scoring a 95th minute winner in the FA Cup last weekend. The same punishment dished out to Lampard for a horrific tackle which could have broken the guy's leg. Joey Barton banned for three matches despite not even headbutting the lad at Norwich. CRAZY! Where is the consistency? The referees should be forced to explain their decisions to the media straight after a match has finished, just like the managers do. Why not? Plus, they surely have to get more former players becoming referees, people who understand the game.
I have watched a number of videos involving Manchester United over many years & found numerous examples of Man Utd goals & penalties awarded despite them committing an infringement of the penalties not being correctly awarded conversely opposition goals & penalties not awarded despite being totally genuine. Opposition players yellow or red carded for identical incidents for which no action taken against Man Utd. Example opposition defender first foul often gets vety early yellow card, so 2nd foul means red, wheras for instance Gary Neville always got away with this as do most of the Utd defenders now. FA usually back up Utd viewpoint at tribunals despite obvious injustice. United friendly refs appointed to disproportionate number of United games i.e each select group ref should referee a team not more than 4 times a season, but Riley (current controller of referees) was given lots of Man Utd games and awarded them a lot of penalties. Frankly I consider that the 91 other teams in the league, their fans and players have been cheated for many years and every trophy they have won in the last 20 years has been obtained dishonestly.