Manchester City vs Manchester United
Derby day on a Thursday in England may be unusual, but various cup commitments have meant the fixture – billed by some at the start of the season as a title-decider – has been rescheduled.
Initially, it was because of Manchester United reaching the League Cup Final, then a combination of United’s and City’s progress to the semi-finals of the Europa League and FA Cup respectively.
Football games between these two powerhouses are no less attractive, however, regardless of the day the fixture is played.
It doesn’t make the betting odds easier to predict either.
United are in the middle of injury woes and fixture congestion, City seemed on their best run of form for some months and, for the first time in a while, have a full strength squad to pick from.
That was until their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal.
Given this is United’s ninth fixture in April, coupled with their absentee list, it would be easy to predict a straightforward home win.
But that all counts for little once derby day comes around.
City won at Old Trafford in September with a performance which had the critics purring about Pep Guardiola and his style and tactics.
Six weeks later and United delivered the knockout blow, albeit against a slightly understrength City side, in the League Cup.
So it’s one victory apiece ahead of the Etihad clash with both managers, Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, fully understanding the importance of this game to the fans and Mancunian football culture.
For whether it is a Champions League final, a League Cup tie or a friendly at under-eight level, both sets of supporters want to win the derby badly.
That will be evident whatever day or night of the week it is!
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