Manchester United v Manchester City: Carabao Cup semi-final, first leg – live!

Solskjaer speaks! “If we create as many chances as we did last month, I’ll be happy! But of course we’re playing against a good team so you can’t expect to create that many. We were excellent that night, hopefully we can see that tonight. We’re a young team with lots of energy, so hopefully we’ll see something similar. Every game is big for Manchester United, so we are going to go out there and enjoy it, give our best, and see where it takes us.”

Look at the quality of the embroidery on this corner flag! That’s some top-notch stitching. You could forgive Manchester United for whacking a cheap transfer onto an old sheet and making do; it’s going to be soaked by the end of the 90 after all, as players repeatedly wipe their muddy paws on it. But no, they’ve refused to cut corners, almost literally, marking them out as the sort who always use the best linen and uncork the good wine when folk come round for dinner. Say what you like about Old Trafford; it may have seen better days, there may be water coming through the roof, but the old pile will always have that indefinable class.

No out-and-out striker for Manchester City there, you will have noticed. Cue much speculation over the possible jiggery-pokery Pep has cooked up in response to the recent derby defeat at the Etihad, where United ripped the champions to shreds for the first 30 minutes or so, a period of extreme dominance that proved more than enough for a shock win. In other news, United defender Harry Maguire has been ruled out with a foot injury.

Both managers have made plenty of changes to the sides sent out for FA Cup battle last weekend. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes six from the side that drew at Wolves: David de Gea, Phil Jones, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Fred and Aaron-Wan Bissaka take the places of Sergio Romero, Harry Maguire, Ashley Young, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Tahith Chong.

Pep Guardiola makes eight changes to the team that beat Port Vale. The only survivors from that starting XI are Claudio Bravo, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva. In come Kyle Walker, Raheem Sterling, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Nicolas Otamendi, Riyad Mahrez, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho.

Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Jones, Lindelof, Williams, Fred, Pereira, James, Lingard, Rashford, Greenwood.
Subs: Romero, Dalot, Matic, Chong, Gomes, Mata, Martial.

Manchester City: Bravo, Walker, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Mendy, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Sterling.
Subs: Ederson, Jesus, Aguero, Silva, Cancelo, Foden, Garcia.

The League Cup semi-finals; a Manchester derby. We’ve been here twice before.

In December 1969, City welcomed United to Maine Road for the first leg. Colin Bell gave the hosts an early lead, Bobby Charlton drove home an equaliser midway through the second half, then with two minutes to go, Ian Ure brought down Franny Lee, who belted home a penalty to give City the halfway advantage. Outside, 14 house windows, and one shop window, were broken, leading to the arrest of seven juveniles and three adults for disorderly behaviour. Here come the seventies!

In the second leg at Old Trafford, City extended their aggregate lead when Lee, Mike Summerbee and Neil Young combined to set up Ian Bowyer on 17 minutes. Six minutes later, United halved the arrears, Paddy Crerard teeing up Paul Edwards. On the hour, George Best’s shot was parried by Joe Corrigan into the path of Denis Law, with predictable results. Extra time loomed, but with eight minutes remaining, Alex Stepney failed to deal with Lee’s speculative free kick and Summerbee sent City to Wembley, where they would beat West Bromwich Albion the following March.

The boot was on the other foot in 2010. It’s the Carlos Tevez tie! Manchester City were looking to reach a major Wembley final for the first time in 29 years. Tevez, who had crossed the divide the previous summer, scored twice in the first leg at the Etihad, wiping out Ryan Giggs’ early opener for a 2-1 victory. Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick put United 3-2 up on aggregate in the second half of the second leg at Old Trafford, but when Tevez scored with an outrageous mid-air backflick, extra time looked on the cards. Then Wayne Rooney popped up with a header deep into injury time, and City would have to wait another year to end their long wait for a trophy. United beat Aston Villa in the final.

Plenty of water has passed under the bridge since, of course. And here we all are. It’s on!

Kick off: 8pm.