Do us proud: Hart makes derby fan plea
City goalkeeper Joe Hart has pleaded with Manchester football fans not to spoil Sunday's crunch derby at the Etihad Stadium
The Blues keeper had to intervene last season when one City fan ran onto the pitch to try to confront United defender Rio Ferdinand, who was also struck on the head by a coin.
Hart remonstrated with the pitch invader, who was later given a suspended prison sentence and banned from all football grounds for three years.
That was the latest in a series of incidents to mar Manchester derbies, with Craig Bellamy also being struck by a bottle, and tangling with a United fan who ran onto the Old Trafford pitch in 2009.
Hart has called for calm on Sunday and asked the City fans to get behind their team in the correct way.
“The derby is one of the most anticipated and exciting games in world football,” said the England goalkeeper. “As players, we are all looking forward to Sunday, and we know that the fans will be too.
“The home support is so important for us, and I know they will be like an extra man for the team on the day. As always, we need our fans in full voice, but we also need them to respect the occasion. We want everyone to enjoy the game but be sensible too.
“There were incidents last year which no-one wants to see repeated. The eyes of the world will be on this game as usual, and I’m confident our supporters will do the club proud.
“Our fans are the best in the world and we want you to show your passion for the club, but in the right way.”
Manchester United fan Usain 'cunt' Bolt has admitted to trying to tire out Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby. The world's fastest man sent the 25-year-old Argentine chasing wayward passes during a get-together at City's Etihad Stadium. Daily Star
Welbeck, Rafael & Clichy all doubts ahead of Manchester derby clash
The two clubs go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon with several players working hard to be fit in time and a number of stars facing late fitness tests
Both Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester United's David Moyes have first-team injury doubts ahead of Sunday's derby clash.
The two clubs return to Premier League action at the Etihad Stadium after respective wins in their opening Champions League matches but have a few team selection issues to resolve.
City midfielder David Silva is fit and has returned to first-team training after a hamstring problem but there are suggestions from Carrington that Pellegrini may be tempted to start with Samir Nasri after his performance in Tuesday's win over Viktoria Plzen.
Gael Clichy is still struggling with a knock and faces late fitness tests on Friday, with Aleksandar Kolarov likely to start at left-back, but Micah Richards should be back in the squad.
As for the visitors, Danny Welbeck is a doubt with United's medical staff struggling to fix the fluid in his knee. The England forward missed training earlier in the week and, although he is being eased back into things, still has not taken part in a full-contact session.
Instead, the 22-year-old striker has stuck to light jogging and similar personal exercise and is therefore unlikely to start - but he could make the matchday squad on Sunday.
Moyes also has some concerns in defence. The former Everton boss is reluctant to to play Rio Ferdinand three games in a row, with worries about the 34-year-old's general wear and tear ahead of a long season, but other injuries mean that he may well have to do so.
Phil Jones is suffering from an ankle injury and there is uncertainty over the extent of Rafael's hamstring problem, with the latter set to be monitored right up until the end of training on Saturday.
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Manchester City legend winds up Manchester United fans ahead of derby
Rodney Marsh is a wind up merchant, he's been one since he was a professional footballer and always loved the attention it brings. On Twitter he loves to get into arguments with supporters and then try and belittle them, getting shocked when they don't respond too kindly. Marsh sometimes opens his mouth and lets words flow out before he's even thought about what he's going to say, hence getting sacked from Sky Sports for making a joke about tsunamis.
Almost before every derby he'll come out with something designed to wind Manchester United up and keep him relevant to Manchester City fans who no longer have to look to players of the past for football heroes. This time it was bound to be about Wayne Rooney and he didn't disappoint.
Speaking to talkSHIT, Marsh said "I will be shocked if Wayne Rooney is still at Manchester United at the end of the season, I think Rooney’s off.
“I always look at body language with footballers and when Moyes got up and said to Wayne he was being substituted, Rooney was so angry.
“When he walked off he just brushed past him. You can tell that there is a undercurrent between Rooney and Moyes.
“I will be astonished if he’s still there at the end of the season if it carries on like this. David Moyes won’t back down.”
Carries on like what Rodney? If Wayne Rooney had thrown a strop when coming off then it would have been all over the back pages, nothing happened. Rooney just looked disappointed to be coming off, not even particularly disappointed, he's sulked in the past when having to leave the field.
Since the match on Tuesday, Rooney has been on something of a PR mission to try and get some support back his way. Rodney Marsh's claim he'd be astonished if Rooney didn't leave in January may come back to bite him, like so many other things.
For more on this weekend's derby see yesterday's B*l**x: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=46711
Manchester City join race for Newcastle and Spurs target Pecks
Manchester City are being linked with a January move for Gil Vicente centre-back Pecks.
The 20-year-old Cape Verde international is already being monitored by Tottenham and Newcastle.
Now City’s scouts have recommended the youngster to manager Manuel Pellegrini after he impressed playing for his Portuguese club. And they have jumped to the front of the queue because they have a partnership arrangement with Gil Vicente.
The £5m-rated defender is tall and a strong tackler. He had already been compared to City skipper Vincent Kompany, and Pellegrini sees him vying for a first-team spot with the Belgian immediately.
He is expected to be one of City’s first targets when the transfer window reopens.
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[/spoiler]Manchester United are plotting a £25m January move for Southampton defender Luke Shaw, 18. Daily Star Aston Villa midfielder Marc Albrighton, 23, is set to go on loan, with Championship side Derby County ready to snap him up. Daily Mirror
Arsenal and West Ham target Ciprian Marica, 27, is close to revealing the identity of his next club after the former Schalke striker, who is a free agent, confirmed he is in negotiations with three teams. Daily Star
Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio says he sold playmaker Stephane Sessegnon, 29, to West Brom on transfer deadline day because his heart was no longer in the club. DSSC
Everton coach Alan Stubbs has admitted that left-back Leighton Baines, 28, wanted to join Manchester United during the summer. Sun
Arsenal want Juventus legend Antonio Conte to lead them into a new era if Arsene Wenger decides to end his 17-year-tenure as manager. Daily Star
Manchester United owners the Glazer family are considering a new share sale that could earn them more than £240m. Times
The Premier League is moving to weed out referees who see themselves as personalities in a bid to ensure officials do not get too close to players and managers. Guardian
West Ham winger Matt Jarvis, 27, believes he can break into the England squad for the World Cup if he has a productive season for the Hammers. Metro
The Football Association will debate the possibility of Premier League clubs developing lower league 'feeder teams' as new chairman Greg Dyke looks to sort out the dearth of English players at the top level. Guardian
Kenny Dalglish insists that he overachieved during his second spell as Liverpool's manager - during which he won the League Cup before being sacked in May 2012. Daily Mirror
Alan Curbishley has admitted his great regret in football was having to sell England midfielder Scott Parker, 32, when he was manager of Charlton. Metro
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will offer striker Carlton Cole a new contract if he can prove his fitness. The 29-year-old striker had been released by the Hammers during the summer, but returned to train with the club. Daily Star
Football could be kicked out of the Olympics if the 2022 World Cup is moved to winter. Sun
And the IOC has warned Fifa that the 2022 World Cup must not clash with that year's Winter Olympics Daily Telegraph
Paris St-Germain manager Laurent Blanc approached Real Madrid with an offer to buy midfielder Mesut Ozil, 24, but the German international decided instead to join Arsenal. RMC
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says that the club have pulled out of plans to build a theme park in the United Arab Emirates. Marca
more bollox later
