The eyes of soccer fans across the globe will be focused on Manchester tomorrow when English champions, Manchester United, will be taking on league leaders, Manchester City, in one of the most eagerly-awaited derbies between the two for years.
According to recent figures from the Premier League, 1.4 billion viewers regularly tune in to watch their matches everywhere and tomorrow’s game will be one of the biggest attractions of the season.
The players of both teams have been talking up their chances and, although one match never truly defines a season, victory in a derby usually assumes particular importance for the fans of the winning side.
Those who worship at Old Trafford have had many of their prayers answered for years with United securing trophy after trophy under Alex Ferguson and Manchester United’s Portuguese winger Nani has told local media that United will be far too strong at their Old Trafford fortress for their neighbours.
City’s Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong says City will be going to Old Trafford for the 1230 GMT kickoff as the top-ranked team in the country – and they intend leaving that way too.
United have won 24 of their last 25 league matches at Old Trafford, and all of the last 19, and have not been beaten there since Chelsea won in April 2010.
Speaking ahead of the tie, Manchester United striker, Nani, in spite admit the threat City pose, he is optimistic about another win that would take United back to the top after they slipped to second last week. “City have a fantastic team at the moment with fantastic players,” the 24-year-old Portugal winger told reporters after United beat Romanians Otelul
Galati in their Champions League match in Romania on Tuesday.
“City are playing a lot of good stuff and it will be difficult to play against them. But we should not forget we are United. When we play at home it is very hard to beat us. That is why we are so confident.
“With a record like ours, we should be confident every time we play at home. We have to believe we are going to win most of the games.”
However, Sunday’s match came far too early in the season to be regarded as a title-decider, he said.
“I just feel it is too early to say it is just going to be about Manchester United and Manchester City for the title, Chelsea have been doing very well as well.”