IT’S DERBY DAY in Manchester and this should be a feisty one. With a one-point advantage over their rivals, fourth-placed City host United at the Etihad tonight.

Just six league matches remain and the race to qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four is hotting up — although the Red Devils could still clinch a place in Europe’s elite club competition by winning the Europa League.

The game also represents another opportunity for Messrs Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho to get one over on each other.

Kick-off is 40 minutes away.

Teams are in. Raheem Sterling, Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov replace Jesus Navas, Gael Clichy and David Silva for the home side, while Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus returns to the bench after recovering from a broken foot.

United are missing Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo through injury, while Wane Rooney, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard drop to the bench. In come Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford.

Manchester City: Bravo, Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Sterling, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Darmian, Carrick, Herrera, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford.

Any fans of Prison Break out there? You’ll like this from Jamie Carragher…

Predictions. What will tonight’s result be?

The teams are on the way out onto the pitch. For what it’s worth, I’m going for a 2-2 draw.

KICK-OFF – We’re away. Both clubs in their traditional colours, so it’s blue and white for Man City and red and black for Man United.

Good start from United, who win an early corner. Rashford gets free down the right and cuts the ball back for Herrera. His cross to the back post is a teasing one and Zabaleta has to put behind.

Mkhitaryan appears to have started in the centre forward position, with Rashford on the right and Martial on the left. Interesting.

City win a corner but it’s cleared by Fellaini. In other news, can anyone else hear what sounds like a plane flying overheard?

It seems someone has commissioned a banner that reads ‘Wenger In’ to be flown over the stadium.

First chance of the night – Ooh, it’s off the outside of the post from Aguero after De Bruyne whips the ball to the front post. You’d expect him to do better from there.

Otamendi blocks Rashford and the striker goes to ground but referee Martin Atkinson waves play on.

De Bruyne fizzes a free-kick across De Gea’s goulmouth but none of his City team-mates gamble and the chance is wasted.

Here’s that plane I mentioned. That’s a serious bit of trolling…

Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Shot on goal – Kolarov finds De Bruyne and the Belgian looks to beat the Man United number one but it’s straight at him.

That was nearly a howler from Bravo! The Man City keeper pushes a harmless cross out as far as Mkhitaryan, but then recovers well to block the shot that follows.

Sterling goes by Darmien and the Italian puts an arm out in an attempt to obstruct the England international, who takes a tumble but doesn’t win a free-kick.

That’s a fine save – Aguero bends a fabulous effort towards goal but De Gea leaps across to catch it.

City are well on top at the moment. As I write that, a corner comes into the United box and Toure goes over. Replays show he’s taken a pretty embarrassing dive.

Herrera and Toure have a tussle in the midfield before Fernandinho comes in and catches the Spaniard. He’s not happy and the referee has to intervene in order to calms things down.

Off the bar! Sterling finds space to run at the United defence, but then blasts high and wide.

How did he miss that?!? Rashford’s free-kick reaches the back post, where Herrera is unmarked. He can’t direct it on target from close range, however.

One minute of added time to play.

Half-time: Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United 

Mkhitaryan tackles Toure. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Second half – Man United are out early waiting for their opponents to re-emerge. And here come City now so we’re ready to get going again.

Sterling drives through the United defence at pace but his left-footed shot is weak and De Gea has an easy save to make.

Next, it’s Aguero’s turn to weave his way along the 18-yard box line before drilling a shot at the Man United keeper.

Sterling tries to go past Darmien, but Martial is there to help his team-mate out. The Frenchman slips, however, and allows Sterling to regain possession before conceding a free-kick by fouling him.

De Bruyne’s set-piece comes out as far as Sane, and his shot is blocked by a crowd of bodies.

Penalty shout – Sane goes down in the box from a Valencia challenge but appeals are waved away.

De Bruyne’s rasping effort is deflected into the side-netting. The same player takes the resulting corner but is guilty of over-hitting it.

United seem content to let the home side have all the possession here. They’ve got everyone bar lone striker Rashford behind the ball at the moment and it’s all City.

They’re getting close and look most likely to score unless Mourinho changes things up.

Otamendi gets above Bailly to meet a corner but the ball comes off the Ivorian defender on its way over the bar. Unite win a free-kick when the latest set-piece is sent in.

It may not be a great game, but that is one beautiful evening sky.

Peter Byrne Peter Byrne

Here comes Jesse Lingard…

Lingard hasn’t come on yet, but it looks like Man City will have to make a change as Bravo has what appears to be a calf injury.

Substitutions – Bravo is off on a stretcher [for a calf strain?!] and Willy Caballero takes his place and Jesus Navas replaces Sane.

Meanwhile, United bring on Lingard for Martial. 10 minutes plus add-ons to play.

Red card for Fellaini! 

That’s silly stuff. The Man United midfielder is booked after a late challenge on Aguero. Seconds later, he is shown a straight red for a headbutt on the Argentine striker, who goes down like a tonne of bricks.

More changes… Mkhitaryan is withdrawn for Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Gabriel Jesus makes his comeback by coming on for Sterling.

All-out-defence for United in these closing minutes, you’d assume.

We’ve got six minutes of added time…

GOAL MAN CITY… but it’s ruled out for offside!

Gabriel Jesus heads home from Aguero’s cross but the goal is rightly disallowed.

Final Man United sub/some valuable time-wasting – Rashford walks off slowly with Ashley Young getting a late run-out.

That was close – Aguero is stretching to connect with a volley but can’t direct it on target.

Full-time: Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United

Aguero on the ground after the red card incident. Peter Byrne Peter Byrne