Manchester City Vs. Manchester United: Manchester Is All Blue

As Barack Obama’s first term has so far shown, it can take a long time to turn power into authority. Like a young country maiden moved (to the chagrin of the servants) into her stately new husband’s stately old home, Roberto Mancini, too, has had problems settling in. Last night, though, the former Inter Milan manager came of age as his Manchester City side overcame their city rivals in a potentially title-deciding derby.

Holding his own against Sir Alex Ferguson in a duet of Hand Flaps on the Touchline, Mancini performed last night as a man finally comfortable with his position. Given the keys to football’s most potent ‘war chest’, Mancini has, at times, performed like a man spoiled by choice. Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri and (of course) Carlos Tevez have all struggled this season. To varying degrees, these struggles can be attributed to personalities but they have all been exacerbated by Mancini’s tactical vacillations.

For most of the first half, it looked like they were going to be able to pull it off. They were actually the more aggressive side in the opening 15 minutes, but started to back off a bit and worry more about keeping their positioning than winning the ball for the last 30 minutes of the second half. City controlled the game and had plenty of possession around the United box in the first half, but struggled to create scoring chances.

City didn’t look in much danger in the closing minutes when United should have been pushing as hard as possible for an equalizer, and created chances late in the game. In the 88th minute, De Gea made a great low save on a shot by Gael Clichy. Nasri had an excellent chance to seal the win for his team and erase any doubt in the 89th minute, but took too long to shoot from the edge of the six-yard box and eventually gave the ball away when it was easier to shoot.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

United start the second half in fairly positive fashion, quickly winning a corner kick. Joe Hart comes out for the ball... and completely misses it, nearly allowing Wayne Rooney to get a free header onto an empty net. Fortunately for City, the ball flies straight out of play - they really got away with one there.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

UPDATE: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United, Final Score

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

Anyway, the game’s more even now, and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if things didn’t stay at 0-0 for much longer.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

For live coverage of tonight’s match, check out the Manchester Derby StoryStream. You can also can the low down on the two teams at United blog The Busby Babe and City blog Bitter and Blue.

Manchester City should be as close to fully stocked as they’ve been in recent weeks heading into today’s match against Manchester City as Mario Balotelli has finished off his three-game ban and defender Micah Richards will be available after missing their last game with a knee problem.

While Balotelli is returning just in time for one of the most-anticipated matches in the history of the Manchester Derby, he is not expected to start with Sergio Augero and Carlos Tevez in top form. Aguero is the team leader with 22 goals and Tevez has scored four goals and had two assists during the three games he started with Balotelli out. When he’s been playing, though, Balotelli has looked strong. In 22 Premier League appearances, he has scored 13 goals.

If the Red Devils are going to beat Manchester City on Monday, though, they’ll have to buck several trends. Most of the recent results say that the Citizens will win, putting any confidence in United’s regular win in doubt.

First, the match is at Eastlands, where City have won 21 of their last 22 matches. To be clear, that is 21 wins, not 21 results. The Citizens have been incredible at home and there is no reason to believe they won’t be against United.

“City will be looking at it and fancying themselves to win the game, just like ourselves, because they’re a good team and they’re at home,” Giggs said. “But we’re Man United, we’re the champions and we’ll try to go out there and put a statement out that we deserve to win this league.

“There is no mistaking that this is a massive game and the biggest in recent times. We realize it’s a big game but as a player you’re used to it and, as a United player, we’re definitely used to it.”

The Red Devils can be deadly on the counterattack, utilizing their pace on the wings to break quickly and luckily for them, that is exactly what City don’t want to see. They have had troubles this season against teams that have defended well and broke on the counterattack. They get too open and can be exposed, which is exactly what Gene Um of The Busby Babe thinks United would be wise to try and do against City on Monday.

Considering that a draw is just fine for United, the struggles that City have ha against good counterattacks and the Red Devils’ ability to strike quickly, it seems as if this is the tactic they have to take. As we have learned very well through Barcelona, possession is not winning, so why bother with it when your best chances can come on the counter-attack?

For City to expect a title is not preposterous. The Citizens made their goal of winning the Premier League known and now three years into Mancini’s reign at Eastlands, they want to see the Italian reach their expectations. With the money that he has had to spend and pretty much every resource he could possibly want at his disposal, if City fail to win a title then it is difficult to blame anybody else except for Mancini.

With the Citizens three points back of the Red Devils and just two matches to play after Monday, if they fail to get a result then the title is all but United’s. A win and they are only ahead on goal difference, but it is something. A draw and they are dependent on United dropping points in the next two weeks, which is hardly going to be a comforting feeling for those on the blue side of Manchester.