Mancini keen to face United’s best
Rooney has been an influential figure for the faltering champions this season, scoring 34 goals in all competitions.
However he has been troubled by an ankle injury and sat out the goalless draw against Blackburn on Sunday.
United would appear to need Rooney more than ever as United sit four points behind Chelsea with only four games remaining.
City have already beaten United at home this season in the Carling Cup with Rooney playing and Italian manager Mancini does not see why his team cannot repeat that win again.
“I think it is better if Rooney plays on Saturday,” he said. “He is a fantastic player and has had an amazing season.
“He will be a danger, of course, but United have many fine players – but we have beaten them once at home already and can do it again.
“I think it is best if both teams are full strength and then the side who takes the three points can truly say the best team won and there is no reason that cannot be us.”
Mancini enjoys derby day and was in charge of numerous Milan battles and believes there are many similarities between the two big city clashes.
“Supporters live for these games and look forward to them more than any other match each year,” he said. “It is about passion and desire and results do not always go to form.
“Of course, this isn’t just a game about local pride, we want to finish in fourth place and every match from now until the last will be just as important.
“We need our fans to keep doing what they do each week and get right behind the team from the first minute to the last. They can inspire us to even greater heights and they have a huge role to play against United.”
The Red Knights consortium were meeting last night to finalise their plans to launch a takeover of Manchester United.
The group of wealthy United fans have said they do not expect to make a bid for the club before the end of the season but they are now drawing up a detailed battle plan.
The talks were to confirm exactly where the money will come from to fund a bid and to determine the level of fan involvement in the proposed ownership structure.
A key discussion was also to focus on the £509 million (€576 million) bond taken out by the Glazer family who currently own United – it is likely any takeover bid would have to entail retaining the bond.
Investment bank Nomura have been advising both the Red Knights and the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST), who have been broadly backing the takeover bid.
A source close to the talks said: “We are now developing the financial model before making a bid. This is very much getting into the details of funding and future ownership.”
The consortium includes Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill, a former United director, and Mark Rawlinson, a partner at leading London law firm Freshfields.
The Glazers bought United for £800m in 2005 but loaded debt on to the club – the total debt on the club now tops £700m.
* MAN CITY will travel to the United States for a pre-season tour this summer. No details of games have yet been released, but the club confirmed they will head across the Atlantic in July and play a series of matches on the East Coast.
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