Tuesday's AFFAIR is the highlight of the midweek matches in the EPL and an eventful and drama filled weekend that saw great individual performances and fantastic hat-tricks. Manchester United are 18 points behind Chelsea and know that it is all but impossible to retain the EPL crown but they will be keen to prevent noisy neighbours, City from succeeding them as Champions.
Dismissed effortlessly 4-1 by their local rivals in October, the red army have home advantage this time and will hope continue on a good run of form that has seen them win two games on the bounce, including the ouster of Olympiakos from the Champions League. Passage to the quarter final of Europe's biggest club competition and a morale boosting victory at Upton Park has seen United bury some of the demons that emanated from the 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool.
City have been rampant this season. The 76 goals registered in the League is second only to Liverpool's 82. The 5-0 obliteration of Fulham sent a note of warning to those who think they are dead and buried after being sent out of two competitions within the space of one week. Yaya Toure scored a brilliant hat-trick to take his tally to 16 League goals. The Ivorian is shoe in for player of the year in England this term and deservedly so.
PROBABLE LINEUPS-
MANCHESTER UNITED-
DDG, Rafa, Jones, Evans/Rio, Evra, Carrick, Fellaini, Adnan, TonyV, Mata, Rooney
MANCHESTER CITY-
Hart, Zabs, Komapany, Demichelis, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Yaya, Silva, Nasri, Milner, Negredo
Manuel Pellegrini has to do without Kun Aguero yet again. The Argentine is hamstrung and will miss out on Tuesday night. Alvaro Negredo has failed to hit the heights he set on his arrival from Seville. The 'beast' has failed to score for a long time now. However, his manager will almost certainly keep faith with him once again. The midfield partnership of Yaya and Fernandinho is the best in the World and they were both on the scoresheet as the blue moon destroyed Magath's hapless and helpless Fulham on Saturday. They are undoubtedly the best midfield duo in the League. A usual mano-a-mano as the season has gone and they will win the battle of the centre fair and square. Vincent Kompany is back from suspension after sitting out the Fulham game. Aleks Kolarov may keep his place at left back.
David Moyes will hope to continue with the same winning formula on Tuesday night. His United team are yet to turn up in the big games this season. The Scot has many important decisions to make concerning the eleven that will line up at the Theatre. Adnan Januzaj has not played the last two games and TonyV is set to return after suffering an eye injury last Wednesday. The Rooney-Mata-Kagawa triangle might be altered and Central defence is a worry. Rio Ferdinand should shrug off a niggling back injury to feature. The Carrick gamble worked well on Saturday but should not be repeated against a devastatingly ruthless City side Pat should replace Buttner at left back.
If Wayne ROOney scores another of his wonder goals on Tuesday night, it may help to put a dent on City's hopes of winning the League and improve United's chances of qualifying for the UCL. 4th place is looking extremely unachievable but who knows?
Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990
