Man City v Man Utd - 30th April 12

Man City v Man Utd

This match could not be better poised in the title run in with Champions United traveling to the Etihad Stadium to take on their neighbours in what could be termed a winner takes all Premier League decider 

United are three points clear of City but the home side have a superior goal difference so if they win they go top, whilst a win for United will be even more conclusive as they would move six points clear with two games remaining

A draw would leave United needing four points from their final two PL games to guarantee the title

City are the PL top scorers with 87 goals, one more than United

They also have the best defensive record with 27 goals conceded, five fewer than United 

City have the best home record in the PL with 49 points out of a possible 51, five more than United who have the second best record

They are the top scorers at home with 51 goals and have the meanest defence with just 10 goals conceded, and three of them came in the 3-3 draw with Sunderland

The Sunderland match was the only one they have failed to win at the Etihad Stadium this season 

Sergio Aguero has been first scorer six times at the Etihad Stadium this season

They have had four clean sheets in their last six home matches and only twice all season conceded more than once goal 

United have the best away record in the PL with 39 points, from 12 wins and three draws and just two defeats, eight more points than City who have the second best record in the PL

They have both scored 36 goals on their travels but United have the meaner defence with 13 goals conceded four fewer than City 

Only twice have United conceded more than one goals on their travels this season, at Newcastle and Chelsea, when they conceded three, in 17 matches

Five times on the road this season Javier Hernandez has been the last scorer in a match    

City have only used 21 different starters in the Pl which is the joint lowest along with Spurs and some six fewer than United

United though have used 13 players 21 or under compared to just four by City, at the other end of the scale United have used more players 30 or over, eight, three more than City

United with 15 have used five more English qualified players than City, the fifth most in the PL 

City have used players from 13 different countries, England with 10 have provided the most seven more than Argentina and Cote d’Ivoire

United have used players from 18 different countries, England with 15 have provided the most 12 more than Brazil who are next on the list 

Wane Rooney has closed the gap on Robin van Persie to one goal in the leading scorers list with 26 goals including nine away from Old Trafford; only van Persie has scored more goals on the Road than the England International 

Third in the list is City’s Argentine international Sergio Aguero with 22 and 15 of them have come at the Etihad Stadium this season

With Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko also in double figures, City are the only team to have three players in double figures this season 

United have outscored City in the opening 15 minutes of matches 10 goals to five, and along with Sours and Newcastle are the top scorers in this time period

United are also the top scorers in the last 10 minutes of matches with 16 goals, one more than City who are next on the list 

United have scored in 33 of their 35 matches in the PL, three more than City and Arsenal who have the next best record

City are the top scorers in the second half of matches this season with 59 gals, 10 more than United 

In the first half it is United who lead the way with 37 goals, nine more than City 

City and United are the only sides in the PL not to have conceded a goal in the first  15 minutes of matches in the PL this season 

Although have conceded fewer goals than United it is the Reds who have the most clean sheets, 18, three more than City 

The United pair Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes is the oldest two goal scorers in the PL Giggs 38 years 88 days and Scholes 37 years 143 days 

These two have had the most penalties awarded in their favour this season, United lead the way with 1 and City are three back with eight, and both teams have conceded three penalties this season 

In the discipline United have the better record than their noisy neighbours with just one player sent off this season compared to five for City and in the yellow card stakes United just have the better record with 46 yellow card, two fewer than City 

The most booked player for either side is City midfielder Gareth Barry who has picked up eight yellow cards including six in the opening 45 minutes of matches which is against the trend   

Referee Andre Marriner has taken charge of 19 PL matches this season and given out 68 yellow cards at an average of 3.58 which is the fourth highest average this season 

Whilst Marriner has refereed United three times this season has yet to referee the Blues. And all three have been away from home and resulted in two wins and a draw 

In those matches he has given out nine yellows, five to United and four to the opposition but has not given a penalty to either side in the three matches 

Overall Marriner has refereed City 18 times in the PL and booked 13 layers with Pablo Zabaleta picking up the most with four

He has refereed United 12 times and given out 10 yellow card with Paul Scholes getting the most with three 

Scholes has been booked four times and sent off once against City including in the FA Cup semi final last season when he was dismissed

Joe Hart is the only ever present for City starting all 35 matches, five more than David Silva, although Silva has also come on as a substitute three times

Sergio Aguero has been substituted in 20 of his 28 starts, the most in the PL 

City have called Adam Johnson off the bench 16 times this season, the joint third most in the PL this season, one behind Villa’s Barry Bannan and Sunderland’s Dong Won Ji 

David Silva with 15 has the most assists in the Pl this season, two more than Arsenal’s Robin van Persie 

For United Antonio Valencia leads the way with 12 assists, one more than Nani and they have both provided four assists each for Wayne Rooney 

United do not have any ever presents with Patrice Evra starting 34 of the clubs 35 PL matches 

United have not managed to win a game when conceding first this season in seven matches resulting in three draws and four defeats

United have scored first in 28 matches this season winning 26 and drawing twice 

City have conceded first eight times this season, winning two and drawing two along with four defeats, they have scored first 26 times, winning 23, drawing twice and losing once at Stamford Bridge back in December   

Attacking Stats

Defending Stats  

Previous Matches 

Early in the season City demolished United at Old Trafford 6-1 to record just their second PL win at Old Trafford in 15 matches, the other was a 2-1 success in February 2008  

At home against United City have a poor record with just four wins to go with eight defeats and two draws 

United have three wins and a draw in their last five visitors to the Etihad Stadium 

In those fixture matches goals have been rare with City managing just one and United with three

Their last three wins at the Etihad have been 1-0 wins as was the only City win in the last five seasons 

Last season this matched finished as a 0-0 draw 

United have only failed to score twice in 14 visits to City in the PL 

City have only scored in seven of their 14 home matches against United in the PL 

City’s last win was back in August 2007 when they were 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from Brazilian Geovanni, Micah Richards is the only survivor from the starting line up that day, whilst for United seven of their 11 starters are still at the club

Ryan Giggs has played 27 times against City in the PL but only managed to score once

Paul Scholes has played 20 times against City in the PL and notched five goals including two in nine matches at City 

Wayne Rooney has five goals in 16 matches against City including two in seven at the Etihad Stadium 

Rooney’s scoring record

Previous matches between the two