Manchester United out to spoil the party as City have history in their sights

MANCHESTER United are aiming to spoil the noisy neighbours’ party as City have history in their sights as another title beckons.

ON Wednesday morning Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford and will be looking to put a serious dent in their noisy neighbours’ Premier League title hopes.

With the top four all but out of reach, the best the Red Devils can hope for domestically is to play the part of spoiler on their great rivals, who trail Chelsea by six points but have three games in hand.

This state of affairs is still something of a novelty in Manchester but a gazillion Arab dollars and an anything-but-smooth transition of managers at Old Trafford has changed all that.

WATCH THE MANCHESTER DERBY LIVE ON FOX SPORTS 1HD AT 6.30AM (EDT) ON WEDNESDAY MORNING. AND JOIN US FOR A LIVE BLOG OF THE GAME AS IT HAPPENS.

United has showed signs of recovery in recent weeks, first conjuring an incredible escape act in the Champions League, before Wayne Rooney’s stunning lob helped them to victory against West Ham on Sunday.

And the United manager has been buoyed by what he sees as a collective improvement by his underperforming champions.

“I think in the last couple of games they’ve really stepped up to the plate and have performed. But I’m not surprised by that. That’s what they are capable of.

“We have a good squad and good players. We maybe haven’t played as well as we should. I do think we’ve got those capabilities in the squad.”

It’s too early to say United are back but Moyes is certainly breathing easier and Rooney says morale in the dressing room is heading in the right direction.

News_Rich_Media: Manchester United star Wayne Rooney showed his class against West Ham by hitting this spectacular volley from halfway, with the goal reviving memories of David Beckham's stunner against Wimbledon in 1996.

ROO CAN DO IT

“The Olympiakos game gave us a big lift in confidence and belief as well in ourselves,” the England striker said.

“This was a good result for us going into the derby, so we’re looking forward to an exciting game and hopefully we’ll get a good result.”

Rooney combined well with January signing Juan Mata against the Hammers, with Robin van Persie’s injury absence hardly felt in the 2-0 victory.

“I think it is the first time we’ve probably both played in a more advanced role, together with him up behind,” Rooney said of Mata.

“It worked well. Obviously Juan is a very talented footballer, got a good footballing brain and when he gets in positions, you know as a forward you can make runs and he can see you.”

Red Devils midfielder Michael Carrick was quick to reject suggestions the results against Olympiakos and West Ham go some way to making amends.

Rather the only way for the Red Devils to salvage something from the season is by winning the Champions League, a monumental task considering they have to face Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

There’ll be no shortage of motivation from the home side, who will have revenge on their minds after a 4-1 defeat to City at the Etihad in September.

News_Rich_Media: A look ahead to Wednesday morning's Premier League fixtures, headlined by the Manchester derby at Old Taafford.

TITLE DREAMS

Across town City have moved past talking down their title hopes. Rather, they’re admitting it’s spurring them on in the run home. City have already claimed the League Cup and wants to double their haul by claiming their second EPL title in three years.

“I think the club and the fans need trophies, need history and need great players to come here and try to make this club great,” Yaya Toure said after smashing his first City hat-trick in a 5-0 thumping of Fulham on the weekend.

“We have the team, we have the players, we have the manager (Manuel Pellegrini) as well.”

The old saying is that form goes out the window in local derbies and the red half is hoping that’s the case come Wednesday morning.

United can’t win the league, but it can deliver a big blow to their rivals’ hopes. If David Moyes’s side can manage to do it, it will be just its second win against a team in the top nine.

News_Rich_Media: A look ahead to Thursday morning's EPL fixtures as Liverpool host Sunderland and Hull take on West Ham at Upton Park.

A BIT OF HISTORY

With the trophy in site, Pellegrini has perhaps wisely taken the opportunity to give his team’s charge a bit of a pump-up and remind them just how big this achievement would be for City, for all the club’s money.

“The fans, players, and staff — everyone needs to pull each other through if we want to get over the line first,” he said.

“I do think we have the squad to win the league. We can’t get too wrapped up in the away games we still have to play.

“We still have the chance to do something really special and do something this club hasn’t done for 44 years by winning two trophies in one season.

“So we need to press on and try and create a bit of history.”