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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Manchester United v Manchester City: Premier League – live! | Manchester United v Manchester City: Premier League – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.34pm BST17:34 | |
| 75 mins: Subs for both teams - Frank Lampard replaces Navas for City, and Marcos Rojo is on for Phil Jones for United. | |
| 5.33pm BST17:33 | |
| 73 mins: Well that was horribly simple. United get a free-kick out on the left, which Young swings over. It finds Smalling who would’ve been a good two yards offside had Mangala not been two inexplicable yards deeper than the rest of your defence, and he heads home, absolutely free. Abysmal defending. | |
| 5.32pm BST17:32 | |
| GOAL! Manchester United 4-1 Manchester City (Smalling 73) | |
| Getting embarrassing for City, now. | |
| 5.31pm BST17:31 | |
| 72 mins: It all seems so simple really... | |
| Turns out all United to keep going was a hugely experienced manager and hundreds of millions for transfers. | |
| 5.30pm BST17:30 | |
| 71 mins: Blind plays the ball down the left for Young, but that’s far too strong. City look to Pellegrini for a solution, and he just stands there, looking a little bit lost. | |
| 5.29pm BST17:29 | |
| 70 mins: Looking at the replay again, that was definitely offside. Marginal, perhaps, but still off. | |
| 5.27pm BST17:27 | |
| 67 mins: Demichelis is dragged out of position leaving a big hole in the City defence, the ball finds its way to Rooney who slips a nice pass through to Mata. He might have been marginally offside but it wasn’t a decision one could expect the linesman to spot, and Mata steadies himself before slipping the ball betwixt Hart’s legs. | |
| 5.25pm BST17:25 | |
| GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City (Mata 67) | |
| Game over, you’d think. | |
| Updated at 5.33pm BST | |
| 5.25pm BST17:25 | |
| 66 mins: A minor lull in the game. Jones hoys the ball down the left but it’s overhit. Hart boots it back from whence it came. | |
| 5.22pm BST17:22 | |
| 64 mins: In the end the free-kick finds Demichelis at the back post, but his header back into the area is eventually cleared by Fellaini. | |
| 5.21pm BST17:21 | |
| 62 mins: Milner is absolutely ploughed over by a bad Jones challenge, the ball falls to Silva but the referee pulls it back for the free-kick, and they’re not entirely happy about life. Looks like Milner will have to go off, although they may have been planning that change before the injury - Samir Nasri is on. | |
| Updated at 5.31pm BST | |
| 5.19pm BST17:19 | |
| 59 mins: Remarkable header from Young. Some nice work by Carrick and Valencia tees up Mata for a cross from the right, which finds Young in all sorts of space about ten yards out, but he sort of runs past the ball and his effort actually ends up going away from the goal, rather than the regulation ‘towards it.’ As it turns out he was offside, but that didn’t make the header any less bizarre. | |
| 5.17pm BST17:17 | |
| 58 mins: Toure and Silva exchange passes on the edge of the United box, and the former opens up his body and tries a left-footed shot, but it’s blocked. City half-heartedly claim a handball, but no dice on that one. | |
| 5.16pm BST17:16 | |
| 57 mins: Here’s Matt Dony, on our favourite hairy tree: “The Fellaini Resurgence is a curious one. On the one hand, it proves that Moyes was right to buy him, and he clearly does have the ability to play for a team like United (albeit not one of the great United sides, but still a step up from Everton). On the other hand, Moyes knew Fellaini better than probably any other manager, so why did he never play him in this role? He was lost in the roles asked of him last season, but he’s dominating games at the moment. Was it a good buy, used badly? Or a bad buy, that has flukily worked out well?” | |
| 5.15pm BST17:15 | |
| 56 mins: The ball falls to Fellaini on the edge of the area and he’s given a baffling amount of room, but can’t do a great deal with it. More goals in store for United, here. | |
| 5.14pm BST17:14 | |
| 54 mins: Demichelis and Fellaini go up for an aerial challenge, the latter’s arm vaguely striking the former in the face but with little malignant intent. Demichelis goes down like he was Gary Mabbutt on the end of John Fashanu’s elbow, stays prone for a few seconds so Clattenburg calls a halt to play on the basis of a ‘head injury’, but Demichelis immediately leaps up to complain. He then receives a ticking off for being a great big dirty stinking faker. | |
| 5.12pm BST17:12 | |
| 52 mins: Rooney takes the resultant free-kick and shoots, which Hart does well to get across and save. A goalmouth scramble ensues as the ball falls to Carrick, his shot is blocked then all hell breaks loose in the box with the ball and limbs flying everywhere, but City eventually clear. | |
| 5.11pm BST17:11 | |
| 51 mins: Rooney goes down under the challenge of Mangala, and has the inevitable tantrum, so much so that when a few seconds later Navas takes down Mata and a foul is given, Rooney is still complaining. | |
| Updated at 5.27pm BST | |
| 5.08pm BST17:08 | |
| 49 mins: Milner tries a rather ambitious pass down the right looking for Navas, but Carrick is there to swoop in and intercept. They attempt an attack down the left but Clichy manages to foul Valencia while doing so. | |
| 5.06pm BST17:06 | |
| 47 mins: City on the attack first up, and the ball falls to Silva in the area, but he can’t bring it under control well enough and the chance goes. Carrick then performs a nice little feint to send a couple of United players the wrong way. | |
| 5.05pm BST17:05 | |
| 46 mins: And we’re away again. Hopefully both teams can keep up the pace of the first half without actually all keeling over. | |
| 5.02pm BST17:02 | |
| Sounds like Kompany is coming off at half-time, having seemingly injured himself committing that foul he was lucky not to be sent off for. Eliaquim Mangala is coming on. | |
| 5.00pm BST17:00 | |
| Claudia Martinez-Anaya has a correction/additional point: “Young’s backheel was not a mere backheel. It was a backheeled nutmeg. Now if that had been a certain diminutive Argentine etc etc...” | |
| 4.59pm BST16:59 | 4.59pm BST16:59 |
| “Who would have thought that one day Yaya Toure’s job will be to shadow Fellaini?” writes Ore Popoola. What a time to be alive. | “Who would have thought that one day Yaya Toure’s job will be to shadow Fellaini?” writes Ore Popoola. What a time to be alive. |
| 4.58pm BST16:58 | 4.58pm BST16:58 |
| Half-time listening...it’s Nadine Shah: | Half-time listening...it’s Nadine Shah: |
| 4.54pm BST16:54 | 4.54pm BST16:54 |
| “Pity poor De Gea and Hart,” says Mark Raven. “Two of the Premier’s better keepers, save Charlie Adams’s best friend, the otherwise superb Mr. Courtois, and it doesn’t seem possible you’d have a quality back line if you combined what available from United and City. Do four competent defenders exist on the pitch between the two squads?” | “Pity poor De Gea and Hart,” says Mark Raven. “Two of the Premier’s better keepers, save Charlie Adams’s best friend, the otherwise superb Mr. Courtois, and it doesn’t seem possible you’d have a quality back line if you combined what available from United and City. Do four competent defenders exist on the pitch between the two squads?” |
| 4.50pm BST16:50 | 4.50pm BST16:50 |
| A belting encounter, providing more entertainment in the five minutes than we saw in 180 when Arsenal and Chelsea played earlier this weekend. United are deservedly ahead after recovering from an early City blitz that they either couldn’t, or weren’t allowed to, keep up. City have done well to press high up the pitch on occasion, but they haven’t kept it up enough. More of this after the break, please. | A belting encounter, providing more entertainment in the five minutes than we saw in 180 when Arsenal and Chelsea played earlier this weekend. United are deservedly ahead after recovering from an early City blitz that they either couldn’t, or weren’t allowed to, keep up. City have done well to press high up the pitch on occasion, but they haven’t kept it up enough. More of this after the break, please. |
| 4.48pm BST16:48 | 4.48pm BST16:48 |
| Half-time: Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City | Half-time: Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City |
| Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. | Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. |
| What. A. Game. | What. A. Game. |
| 4.48pm BST16:48 | 4.48pm BST16:48 |
| 45 mins + 2: City attack down the right but Jones, dashing across, does well to win the ball. United then counter at some pace as the City players dawdle in tracking, Rooney feeds it out wide to Valencia who puts over a cross to the far post, again, aiming for Fellaini, but he has shove Zabaleta over to get to the ball. | 45 mins + 2: City attack down the right but Jones, dashing across, does well to win the ball. United then counter at some pace as the City players dawdle in tracking, Rooney feeds it out wide to Valencia who puts over a cross to the far post, again, aiming for Fellaini, but he has shove Zabaleta over to get to the ball. |
| 4.46pm BST16:46 | 4.46pm BST16:46 |
| 45 mins + 1: Another booming cross to the back stick finds Fellaini, who nods it down to Rooney, but this time he’s crowded out. | 45 mins + 1: Another booming cross to the back stick finds Fellaini, who nods it down to Rooney, but this time he’s crowded out. |
| 4.45pm BST16:45 | 4.45pm BST16:45 |
| 45 mins: Two minutes of added time. | 45 mins: Two minutes of added time. |
| 4.45pm BST16:45 | 4.45pm BST16:45 |
| 44 mins: Kompany could be in trouble here after a late challenge on Blind. It was studs first, a little bit high and while it looked worse because Blind was going at some pace and sort of cartwheeled, that could easily have been a red card. As it was, after a long discussion with the lino, Clattenburg shows him the yellow. | 44 mins: Kompany could be in trouble here after a late challenge on Blind. It was studs first, a little bit high and while it looked worse because Blind was going at some pace and sort of cartwheeled, that could easily have been a red card. As it was, after a long discussion with the lino, Clattenburg shows him the yellow. |
| Updated at 5.23pm BST | |
| 4.43pm BST16:43 | 4.43pm BST16:43 |
| 43 mins: The United defence finds itself in something of a mess as Milner slips the ball through to Aguero, but Valencia, who played him onside in the first place, manages to sprint across from the right and ease the player away from goal and the ball behind for a goal-kick. Bad defending, followed by good defending. | 43 mins: The United defence finds itself in something of a mess as Milner slips the ball through to Aguero, but Valencia, who played him onside in the first place, manages to sprint across from the right and ease the player away from goal and the ball behind for a goal-kick. Bad defending, followed by good defending. |
| 4.42pm BST16:42 | 4.42pm BST16:42 |
| 42 mins: “The derby is quite good, Mr. Turner,” writes Mark Raven, “but it’d take a miracle or pardon from the Queen, herself, to forget about the Frostrup advice column.” | 42 mins: “The derby is quite good, Mr. Turner,” writes Mark Raven, “but it’d take a miracle or pardon from the Queen, herself, to forget about the Frostrup advice column.” |
| 4.41pm BST16:41 | 4.41pm BST16:41 |
| 41 mins: No puns, please... | 41 mins: No puns, please... |
| 4.39pm BST16:39 | 4.39pm BST16:39 |
| 39 mins: City shift the ball nicely and into the path of Fernandinho, who has a shooting chance from 25 yards but dithers, tries to shift onto his right foot, and the opportunity is gone. Instead he shifts it left to Milner, who opens his body and aims for the top corner...but misses by a distance that, to save the old boy embarrassment, we’ll just call ‘a lot.’ | 39 mins: City shift the ball nicely and into the path of Fernandinho, who has a shooting chance from 25 yards but dithers, tries to shift onto his right foot, and the opportunity is gone. Instead he shifts it left to Milner, who opens his body and aims for the top corner...but misses by a distance that, to save the old boy embarrassment, we’ll just call ‘a lot.’ |
| 4.37pm BST16:37 | 4.37pm BST16:37 |
| 37 mins: “This game’s so good I’ve nearly forgotten about the Frostrup advice column,” writes Mark Turner. We’ll get to it, Mark. | 37 mins: “This game’s so good I’ve nearly forgotten about the Frostrup advice column,” writes Mark Turner. We’ll get to it, Mark. |
| 4.36pm BST16:36 | 4.36pm BST16:36 |
| 35 mins: United’s gameplan seems to be send Fellaini to the back post and aim for him. And why not, because it’s working. Mata finds him this time, and he even has time to bring it down on his chest in the area, weigh up his options and lay infield for Rooney, but before he can slot it home the offside flag goes up. | 35 mins: United’s gameplan seems to be send Fellaini to the back post and aim for him. And why not, because it’s working. Mata finds him this time, and he even has time to bring it down on his chest in the area, weigh up his options and lay infield for Rooney, but before he can slot it home the offside flag goes up. |
| 4.34pm BST16:34 | 4.34pm BST16:34 |
| 34 mins: City very nearly in, after a superb pass from Toure splits the United defence in twain, but Aguero is just beaten to it by an alert and advancing De Gea. Silva then gets a yellow card for a slightly late challenge on Mata. | 34 mins: City very nearly in, after a superb pass from Toure splits the United defence in twain, but Aguero is just beaten to it by an alert and advancing De Gea. Silva then gets a yellow card for a slightly late challenge on Mata. |
| 4.32pm BST16:32 | 4.32pm BST16:32 |
| 33 mins: City win a corner on the right that Navas swings over, Demichelis gets up to win the header but it drifts vaguely past the back post. | 33 mins: City win a corner on the right that Navas swings over, Demichelis gets up to win the header but it drifts vaguely past the back post. |
| 4.32pm BST16:32 | 4.32pm BST16:32 |
| 31 mins: Young tries to power his way down the left again, tries a stepover but it doesn’t work, and he goes to ground forehead first, like an inelegant high board diver. | 31 mins: Young tries to power his way down the left again, tries a stepover but it doesn’t work, and he goes to ground forehead first, like an inelegant high board diver. |
| 4.30pm BST16:30 | 4.30pm BST16:30 |
| 28 mins: United attack again straightaway, but this time Young crosses with his left foot and slices it high and out of play. | 28 mins: United attack again straightaway, but this time Young crosses with his left foot and slices it high and out of play. |
| 4.30pm BST16:30 | 4.30pm BST16:30 |
| 27 mins: That goal was a bit like when rugby teams try to set up a player for a drop-goal - everyone could see what was coming, apart from the City defenders, it seems. Young and Blind exchange passes (including a backheel from the former) on the left side of the box, as Fellaini stands and waits, expectantly, waiting for the cross, at the back stick. Eventually Young gets space for the cross, landing it right on Fellaini’s bonce, and he heads past Hart, who still might not have touched the ball. A hint of offside about it - could’ve been marginally off, but it could’ve just been Fellaini’s hair that was beyond the last man. Which, technically, would be offside. | 27 mins: That goal was a bit like when rugby teams try to set up a player for a drop-goal - everyone could see what was coming, apart from the City defenders, it seems. Young and Blind exchange passes (including a backheel from the former) on the left side of the box, as Fellaini stands and waits, expectantly, waiting for the cross, at the back stick. Eventually Young gets space for the cross, landing it right on Fellaini’s bonce, and he heads past Hart, who still might not have touched the ball. A hint of offside about it - could’ve been marginally off, but it could’ve just been Fellaini’s hair that was beyond the last man. Which, technically, would be offside. |
| 4.27pm BST16:27 | 4.27pm BST16:27 |
| GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City (Fellaini 27) | GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City (Fellaini 27) |
| And there we go. | And there we go. |
| Updated at 4.46pm BST | Updated at 4.46pm BST |
| 4.26pm BST16:26 | 4.26pm BST16:26 |
| 26 mins: Milner feeds Toure who turns and runs towards the box, but he then falls to the floor with Smalling nearby. The referee decides it was shonky footwork rather than a foul, and rules Toure slipped over. | 26 mins: Milner feeds Toure who turns and runs towards the box, but he then falls to the floor with Smalling nearby. The referee decides it was shonky footwork rather than a foul, and rules Toure slipped over. |
| 4.24pm BST16:24 | 4.24pm BST16:24 |
| 24 mins: Milner is the first player to go into the book for a fairly cynical tug on Herrera. “We all hate Leeds scum,” rings around Old Trafford. | 24 mins: Milner is the first player to go into the book for a fairly cynical tug on Herrera. “We all hate Leeds scum,” rings around Old Trafford. |
| 4.23pm BST16:23 | 4.23pm BST16:23 |
| 22 mins: Young tracks back to help out his defence, perhaps recalling those strange but halcyon days when he was a wing-back for a bit, but only succeeds in conceding a corner with a bit of iffy control. | 22 mins: Young tracks back to help out his defence, perhaps recalling those strange but halcyon days when he was a wing-back for a bit, but only succeeds in conceding a corner with a bit of iffy control. |
| 4.21pm BST16:21 | 4.21pm BST16:21 |
| 20 mins: This is insanely frantic. Valencia is caught out of position so City attack down their left. A cross comes in low to the near post and Aguero, he can’t quite control it but the ball breaks to Silva, only for his effort to be blocked. All of that happened in the space of about seven seconds. | 20 mins: This is insanely frantic. Valencia is caught out of position so City attack down their left. A cross comes in low to the near post and Aguero, he can’t quite control it but the ball breaks to Silva, only for his effort to be blocked. All of that happened in the space of about seven seconds. |
| 4.20pm BST16:20 | 4.20pm BST16:20 |
| 19 mins: Blind plays a horrible pass back to De Gea, and the United keeper takes a bit of a heavy touch off his thigh, and for a moment it looks like Aguero will nip in to rob him, but he gets the punt away in time. | 19 mins: Blind plays a horrible pass back to De Gea, and the United keeper takes a bit of a heavy touch off his thigh, and for a moment it looks like Aguero will nip in to rob him, but he gets the punt away in time. |
| 4.18pm BST16:18 | 4.18pm BST16:18 |
| 17 mins: Lovely stuff so far, this. Herrera gets the ball about 35 yards from his own goal and, under the sadly mistaken impression that he might have a bit of time to stand and think about how to distribute the ball, Aguero scampers up behind him like a wee monkey sneaking up on someone to nick their sandwich. Luckily for United, Herrera spots the danger just in time. | 17 mins: Lovely stuff so far, this. Herrera gets the ball about 35 yards from his own goal and, under the sadly mistaken impression that he might have a bit of time to stand and think about how to distribute the ball, Aguero scampers up behind him like a wee monkey sneaking up on someone to nick their sandwich. Luckily for United, Herrera spots the danger just in time. |
| 4.16pm BST16:16 | 4.16pm BST16:16 |
| 16 mins: Shrewd work in the transfer market by United... | 16 mins: Shrewd work in the transfer market by United... |
| Smart move signing Di Maria to get the best out of Ashley Young. | Smart move signing Di Maria to get the best out of Ashley Young. |
| 4.15pm BST16:15 | 4.15pm BST16:15 |
| 15 mins: Don’t think Hart has touched the ball yet. | 15 mins: Don’t think Hart has touched the ball yet. |
| 4.15pm BST16:15 | 4.15pm BST16:15 |
| 14 mins: De Gea gets to a short back pass and clears upfield, where Fellaini flicks on to Herrera on the left flank. He crosses to the near post where Young gets something on it, it’s half-blocked, then comes off the United man’s back and drops to him about four yards out, with Hart prone, and he belts it gratefully into the roof of the net. | 14 mins: De Gea gets to a short back pass and clears upfield, where Fellaini flicks on to Herrera on the left flank. He crosses to the near post where Young gets something on it, it’s half-blocked, then comes off the United man’s back and drops to him about four yards out, with Hart prone, and he belts it gratefully into the roof of the net. |
| 4.14pm BST16:14 | 4.14pm BST16:14 |
| GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City (Young 14) | GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City (Young 14) |
| And there we go. What a game this is. | And there we go. What a game this is. |
| Updated at 4.31pm BST | Updated at 4.31pm BST |
| 4.12pm BST16:12 | 4.12pm BST16:12 |
| 12 mins: But they do eventually, and Young’s run down the right is halted by a slight shove by Clichy, the winger requiring little invitation to eat turf. | 12 mins: But they do eventually, and Young’s run down the right is halted by a slight shove by Clichy, the winger requiring little invitation to eat turf. |
| 4.12pm BST16:12 | 4.12pm BST16:12 |
| 11 mins: Milner is finding himself further up the pitch than Aguero at points, closing down relentlessly. Smalling tries to bring the ball out of defence but his ill-advised dribble is halted. The ball reaches Fernandinho but he’s fouled by a vaguely panicked-looking Herrera. United can’t get out of their own half. | 11 mins: Milner is finding himself further up the pitch than Aguero at points, closing down relentlessly. Smalling tries to bring the ball out of defence but his ill-advised dribble is halted. The ball reaches Fernandinho but he’s fouled by a vaguely panicked-looking Herrera. United can’t get out of their own half. |
| 4.10pm BST16:10 | 4.10pm BST16:10 |
| 10 mins: A drought, ended... | 10 mins: A drought, ended... |
| Aguero's first goal since 24 Feb... and his sixth in a league derby... | Aguero's first goal since 24 Feb... and his sixth in a league derby... |
| 4.10pm BST16:10 | 4.10pm BST16:10 |
| 8 mins: Well, this was excellent. Clichy gives it to Milner on the left corner of the area, he slips a delightful reverse ball to Silva who’s in an unconscionable amount of space near the byline, not helped by a comically dithering pair of Phil Jones and Michael Carrick who stand not knowing whether to come or go, end up doing neither and give Silva the time to square to Aguero, who tucks into an empty net from four yards. | 8 mins: Well, this was excellent. Clichy gives it to Milner on the left corner of the area, he slips a delightful reverse ball to Silva who’s in an unconscionable amount of space near the byline, not helped by a comically dithering pair of Phil Jones and Michael Carrick who stand not knowing whether to come or go, end up doing neither and give Silva the time to square to Aguero, who tucks into an empty net from four yards. |
| 4.07pm BST16:07 | 4.07pm BST16:07 |
| GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City (Aguero 8) | GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City (Aguero 8) |
| And that’s been coming. | And that’s been coming. |
| Updated at 4.30pm BST | Updated at 4.30pm BST |
| 4.07pm BST16:07 | 4.07pm BST16:07 |
| 7 mins: City take a short corner that United are unprepared for. The ball eventually finds its way to Toure in the box, but his shot is blocked with some gusto about eight yards out. Frantic start - lovely stuff. | 7 mins: City take a short corner that United are unprepared for. The ball eventually finds its way to Toure in the box, but his shot is blocked with some gusto about eight yards out. Frantic start - lovely stuff. |
| 4.06pm BST16:06 | 4.06pm BST16:06 |
| 6 mins: Navas gets away after a long and vaguely hopeful ball down the right channel, but after cutting inside he can only shoots straight at De Gea. City have started this with the purpose they’ve been missing in recent weeks. | 6 mins: Navas gets away after a long and vaguely hopeful ball down the right channel, but after cutting inside he can only shoots straight at De Gea. City have started this with the purpose they’ve been missing in recent weeks. |
| 4.04pm BST16:04 | 4.04pm BST16:04 |
| 4 mins: Silva clips the ball down the left looking for Aguero, but the Argentinean is surprisingly uncertain with the ball and, after dithering for a bit, loses possession. | 4 mins: Silva clips the ball down the left looking for Aguero, but the Argentinean is surprisingly uncertain with the ball and, after dithering for a bit, loses possession. |
| 4.02pm BST16:02 | 4.02pm BST16:02 |
| 2 mins: Hatchet man Gael Clichy gets a finger wagged at him for a late foul on Juan Mata, but nothing more. Looks like City are playing a 4-2-3-1 with Navas right, Silva left and - get this - James Milner in the No.10 role. | 2 mins: Hatchet man Gael Clichy gets a finger wagged at him for a late foul on Juan Mata, but nothing more. Looks like City are playing a 4-2-3-1 with Navas right, Silva left and - get this - James Milner in the No.10 role. |
| 4.01pm BST16:01 | 4.01pm BST16:01 |
| 1 min: And we’re away. It’s loud at OT. Vincent Kompany’s first act is to hoy a pass out of play. Strong start. | 1 min: And we’re away. It’s loud at OT. Vincent Kompany’s first act is to hoy a pass out of play. Strong start. |
| 4.00pm BST16:00 | 4.00pm BST16:00 |
| Justin Kavanagh writes: “People sleeping with other people in their families in a completely inappropriate way…it wouldn’t happen in football. Now let’s get on with the action and Manchester Unit…oh!” | Justin Kavanagh writes: “People sleeping with other people in their families in a completely inappropriate way…it wouldn’t happen in football. Now let’s get on with the action and Manchester Unit…oh!” |
| 3.56pm BST15:56 | 3.56pm BST15:56 |
| The players are in the tunnel. One of the mascots is holding a fairly detailed conversation with Wayne Rooney, rather than standing there nervously as they usually do. Brassy young man. | The players are in the tunnel. One of the mascots is holding a fairly detailed conversation with Wayne Rooney, rather than standing there nervously as they usually do. Brassy young man. |
| Updated at 4.03pm BST | Updated at 4.03pm BST |
| 3.51pm BST15:51 | 3.51pm BST15:51 |
| Re; the Frostrup column, Craig McEwan writes: “Absolutely agree with your advice on this Nick. Any pearls of wisdom for Louis and Manuel?” | Re; the Frostrup column, Craig McEwan writes: “Absolutely agree with your advice on this Nick. Any pearls of wisdom for Louis and Manuel?” |
| They should just kiss and get it over with. | They should just kiss and get it over with. |
| Mark Judd says: “Mariella Frostrup’s advice column today, soon to be re-named Advice Corner with Nick I’d wager. I agree with your assessment but what worries me is how many weddings in the future will now be more closely scrutinised for signs of a relationship between bridegroom and father-in-law. The man has opened a real can of worms.” | Mark Judd says: “Mariella Frostrup’s advice column today, soon to be re-named Advice Corner with Nick I’d wager. I agree with your assessment but what worries me is how many weddings in the future will now be more closely scrutinised for signs of a relationship between bridegroom and father-in-law. The man has opened a real can of worms.” |
| And finally, a serious point from Philip Podolsky: “Outing other people or pressuring them to come out is terrible, unless they are conservative firebrands preaching hate for LGBT people. Also, wondering if the fact that the column’s gone a bit viral (I’ve heard of it twice today and I live in another bleeding country!) may further the plot somehow. Those two men are going to be very awkward around one another at family gatherings, perhaps giving rise to suspicions, hints and allegations.” | And finally, a serious point from Philip Podolsky: “Outing other people or pressuring them to come out is terrible, unless they are conservative firebrands preaching hate for LGBT people. Also, wondering if the fact that the column’s gone a bit viral (I’ve heard of it twice today and I live in another bleeding country!) may further the plot somehow. Those two men are going to be very awkward around one another at family gatherings, perhaps giving rise to suspicions, hints and allegations.” |
| 3.46pm BST15:46 | 3.46pm BST15:46 |
| “He takes part in the game,” says Graeme Souness when discussing Marouane Fellaini. | “He takes part in the game,” says Graeme Souness when discussing Marouane Fellaini. |
| Ouch. | Ouch. |
| 3.43pm BST15:43 | 3.43pm BST15:43 |
| Manuel Pellegrini is being interviewed on the telly. He’s got the cold, dead eyes of a man who knows he’s going to be doing something else in a few weeks. Either that or he’s just really boring. | Manuel Pellegrini is being interviewed on the telly. He’s got the cold, dead eyes of a man who knows he’s going to be doing something else in a few weeks. Either that or he’s just really boring. |
| 3.31pm BST15:31 | 3.31pm BST15:31 |
| Now, if you absolutely insist on talking about football, and this football match in particular, we could probably do that. So here’s some pre-game reading... | Now, if you absolutely insist on talking about football, and this football match in particular, we could probably do that. So here’s some pre-game reading... |
| 3.17pm BST15:17 | 3.17pm BST15:17 |
| Now, we could sit here for as long as you like discussing those teams. Where will James Milner play? Is it a gamble not playing Marcos Rojo? But enough of all that, for there’s something far more pressing to turn our attention to, and it’s elsewhere on these pages today. Indeed, you may already have seen it, but here it is anyway, from Mariella Frostrup’s advice column today: | Now, we could sit here for as long as you like discussing those teams. Where will James Milner play? Is it a gamble not playing Marcos Rojo? But enough of all that, for there’s something far more pressing to turn our attention to, and it’s elsewhere on these pages today. Indeed, you may already have seen it, but here it is anyway, from Mariella Frostrup’s advice column today: |
| The dilemma I have been in love for the last year and recently proposed. After 10 years of bisexuality (though I had more female partners than male) I was happy, excited and in love. She introduced me to her parents three months ago and her father and I recognised each other from a local cruising site. We have been intimate on about three or four occasions. He has made contact with me and asked me to tell my fiancée about my sexuality. I asked if his wife knew about his, and we have reached something of an impasse. He has since taken screenshots of old photos of me and I have also found some of him. Shall I just walk away from the woman of my dreams? | The dilemma I have been in love for the last year and recently proposed. After 10 years of bisexuality (though I had more female partners than male) I was happy, excited and in love. She introduced me to her parents three months ago and her father and I recognised each other from a local cruising site. We have been intimate on about three or four occasions. He has made contact with me and asked me to tell my fiancée about my sexuality. I asked if his wife knew about his, and we have reached something of an impasse. He has since taken screenshots of old photos of me and I have also found some of him. Shall I just walk away from the woman of my dreams? |
| Quite the head-scratcher. But there are so many questions here. But the most important is, surely, why is this even a debate? What does either party gain by telling all? That’s two broken marriages that could all have been avoided with some mutually beneficial lying. Of course, being honest about one’s sexuality with a partner is fairly fundamental, but yer man here seems to be of the opinion that he can’t tell his fiancée one thing without the other; by all means tell her you’re bisexual, but for the love of everything holy, don’t tell her that you have engaged in the act of physical congress with her old man. What on earth is wrong with you? | Quite the head-scratcher. But there are so many questions here. But the most important is, surely, why is this even a debate? What does either party gain by telling all? That’s two broken marriages that could all have been avoided with some mutually beneficial lying. Of course, being honest about one’s sexuality with a partner is fairly fundamental, but yer man here seems to be of the opinion that he can’t tell his fiancée one thing without the other; by all means tell her you’re bisexual, but for the love of everything holy, don’t tell her that you have engaged in the act of physical congress with her old man. What on earth is wrong with you? |
| Still, that’s going to be a father of the bride speech absolutely drenched in subtext. We all need to be there. | Still, that’s going to be a father of the bride speech absolutely drenched in subtext. We all need to be there. |
| Honestly, they should give me Mariella’s column. Wasted on football, me. | Honestly, they should give me Mariella’s column. Wasted on football, me. |
| 3.03pm BST15:03 | 3.03pm BST15:03 |
| Team news | Team news |
| Manchester United | Manchester United |
| De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Young, Rooney. Subs: Valdes, Rafael, Rojo, McNair, Januzaj, Di Maria, Falcao. | De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Jones, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Young, Rooney. Subs: Valdes, Rafael, Rojo, McNair, Januzaj, Di Maria, Falcao. |
| Manchester City | Manchester City |
| Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Toure, Navas, Milner, Silva, Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernando, Nasri, Lampard, Dzeko. | Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Toure, Navas, Milner, Silva, Aguero. Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernando, Nasri, Lampard, Dzeko. |
| Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Co. Durham) | Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Co. Durham) |
| 3.00pm BST15:00 | 3.00pm BST15:00 |
| Preamble | Preamble |
| That Manchester United are favourites for this game seems weird. And that it seems weird also seems weird. United were favourites for every derby for about a thousand years (or something like that), then Manchester City stopped being Manchester City and became something new, brasher and more shiny, and since then they have held the whip hand, and given their resources and the travails up Salford way, you thought it would stay that way for a while to come. The money of City and the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson were supposed to combine to create a new hierarchy, to make City the new power; the city was indeed supposed to be theirs. | That Manchester United are favourites for this game seems weird. And that it seems weird also seems weird. United were favourites for every derby for about a thousand years (or something like that), then Manchester City stopped being Manchester City and became something new, brasher and more shiny, and since then they have held the whip hand, and given their resources and the travails up Salford way, you thought it would stay that way for a while to come. The money of City and the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson were supposed to combine to create a new hierarchy, to make City the new power; the city was indeed supposed to be theirs. |
| And yet, here we are. The fates (and, admittedly, some footballers) have conspired to set this game up at a time when City are in their worst form in some time and United are looking properly good for the first time since the old boy left. Thus, it would be something of a surprise if the established power didn’t best the arrivistes at Old Trafford today, with United assuredly beating Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa while City have conspired to lose five of their last seven, including Monday’s utterly insipid capitulation to Crystal Palace. | And yet, here we are. The fates (and, admittedly, some footballers) have conspired to set this game up at a time when City are in their worst form in some time and United are looking properly good for the first time since the old boy left. Thus, it would be something of a surprise if the established power didn’t best the arrivistes at Old Trafford today, with United assuredly beating Tottenham, Liverpool and Aston Villa while City have conspired to lose five of their last seven, including Monday’s utterly insipid capitulation to Crystal Palace. |
| Manuel Pellegrini seems absolutely unconcerned, in public at least, about his own position. The Chilean is surely a dead man walking after not so much failing to convincingly defend City’s Premier League title as sending it to Chelsea with a barber shop quartet and a massive bow, plus limply shuffling out of the Champions League having displayed virtually zero progress in the biggest pot of all. But still, here he is: “The pressure for the manager of a big team is always the same one, if you choose this for a career you must learn to live in the present...All the managers are getting the sack the moment they are not winning, you see it every year with big teams so I try not to let it bother me and continue to have a normal life. I trust I am good at my job and I think also that the club trusts me in the job. Of course you must try to win titles but the same team cannot win the title every year here because the competition in the Premier League is so strong.” | Manuel Pellegrini seems absolutely unconcerned, in public at least, about his own position. The Chilean is surely a dead man walking after not so much failing to convincingly defend City’s Premier League title as sending it to Chelsea with a barber shop quartet and a massive bow, plus limply shuffling out of the Champions League having displayed virtually zero progress in the biggest pot of all. But still, here he is: “The pressure for the manager of a big team is always the same one, if you choose this for a career you must learn to live in the present...All the managers are getting the sack the moment they are not winning, you see it every year with big teams so I try not to let it bother me and continue to have a normal life. I trust I am good at my job and I think also that the club trusts me in the job. Of course you must try to win titles but the same team cannot win the title every year here because the competition in the Premier League is so strong.” |
| That’s probably a sensible approach, not least because, well, he can hardly be expected to say ‘Yeah, I’m toast really. A goner. Absolutely done. I would save us all some time by resigning but, y’know...’ before rubbing his finger and thumb together. But also because he’d send himself postal if he recognised his own managerial mortality. And you never know - he could save his own skin if he managed to wrangle his drifting troops into something approaching a performance or a win in this game. Possibly. Probably not. | That’s probably a sensible approach, not least because, well, he can hardly be expected to say ‘Yeah, I’m toast really. A goner. Absolutely done. I would save us all some time by resigning but, y’know...’ before rubbing his finger and thumb together. But also because he’d send himself postal if he recognised his own managerial mortality. And you never know - he could save his own skin if he managed to wrangle his drifting troops into something approaching a performance or a win in this game. Possibly. Probably not. |
| For his part, Louis van Gaal was in brassy form this week, reckoning that City could be less of a threat than Aston Villa. “City won’t play many long balls,” he explained. “We have had problems all season with that kind of club and playing style. We are not such a tall team so we have problems if people hit high balls at our defence. We are pressing better now, and with the system we play at the moment it is easier, but if you analyse the Villa game [Christian] Benteke still won all the duels. If you watch the match again you can see Benteke won everything.” | For his part, Louis van Gaal was in brassy form this week, reckoning that City could be less of a threat than Aston Villa. “City won’t play many long balls,” he explained. “We have had problems all season with that kind of club and playing style. We are not such a tall team so we have problems if people hit high balls at our defence. We are pressing better now, and with the system we play at the moment it is easier, but if you analyse the Villa game [Christian] Benteke still won all the duels. If you watch the match again you can see Benteke won everything.” |
| Who knows? Perhaps City will spend the whole game aiming for The Mixer and turn Sergio Aguero into a target man. We shall see. | Who knows? Perhaps City will spend the whole game aiming for The Mixer and turn Sergio Aguero into a target man. We shall see. |
| Kick-off: 4pm BST. | Kick-off: 4pm BST. |