As Manchester United and Manchester City prepare for the latest meeting in their 130-year-old rivalry, trash talking is widespread in the city in Northwest England that both clubs call home. "Everyone is coming up to you, telling you to make sure you win the game," said Rio Ferdinand, the United defender. "Or you get City fans giving their two-pence worth."
Yet when kickoff approaches on Saturday, this city will be a good deal quieter because Saturday's FA Cup semifinal between these two is taking place 250km away from Manchester at London's Wembley Stadium.
The location isn't the only unfamiliar thing. Both teams will be shorn of their most iconic players. Wayne Rooney's absence through suspension will be a blow to United, but the loss of injured Carlos Tevez looks more significant: The Argentina striker is City's captain and leading scorer this season, and has scored three goals against United since joining from Old Trafford. In his place, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko have struggled. United is on a seven-game winning streak and looks good value at 6/5 to make it eight wins in a row here.
Sunday's semifinal between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City will be no less fiercely contested. Bolton, eighth in the Premier League, is the favorite at 6/4, while Stoke, which is five points and four places below its opponent, is available at 2/1. Their two league meetings this season ended with one win apiece and it would be no surprise to see this end level after 90 minutes. The draw can be backed at 12/5.
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