Stand your ground. United hold all the aces going into this semi so City will have to fight hard

Two arch-rivals will go head to head at Wembley today in one of the most highly anticipated FA Cup semi-finals of recent times.

Despite being in the capital, the national stadium is set to have a very Mancunian feel about it as red and blue collide with United, chasing a hat-trick of trophies this season, taking on City who chase their first piece of silverware for 35 years.

Either Stoke City or Bolton Wanderers wait in the final so both sides will fancy their chances of lifting the cup if they can pull of a memorable derby win.

City boss Roberto Mancini has called on his players to “change history” while United veteran Paul Scholes has stirred the pot insisting that he does not consider City their main rivals.

Something will have to give at Wembley tomorrow but each team will be missing their main protagonist with Carlos Tevez out for City with a hamstring injury and Wayne Rooney serving the second of his two-game ban for swearing into a TV camera in United’s win at West Ham two weeks ago.

Sir Alex will have plenty of faith in his other forward options with Champions League hero Javier Hernandez brimming with confidence following his goal in the quarter final against Chelsea possibly paired with the composed Dimitar Berbatov, who scored in last week’s 2-0 league win over Fulham.

Meanwhile, the script could be written for City’s unpredictable striker Mario Balotelli to finally win over the hearts of the fans at Eastlands, or a chance for a first goal for Edin Dzeko.

The Premier League leaders are also missing defender Jonny Evans to suspension and midfielder Darren Fletcher to injury. But the evergreen Ryan Giggs is expected to play and maintain his record of winning every FA Cup semi-final he has played.

Aside from topping the league, United have won their last seven games, beat City 2-1 in the last meeting at Old Trafford in February and have brushed aside Arsenal and Liverpool on the road to Wembley to ensure they start this match as favourites.

Fighting for a Champions League place, City lost 3-0 to Liverpool on Monday and were forced into replays by Leicester and Notts County on their way to the semi finals. They look decidedly uninspired without Tevez in the lineup and if they are to change history, someone else will have to write themselves into club folklore and step up.