Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring their second goal during their English Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 4, 2015. PHOTO
LONDON
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is eager to add to Manchester City's woes in Sunday's derby at Old Trafford.
A
marked reversal in fortunes means third-placed United lead
fourth-placed defending champions City by a point heading into this
weekend's clash, although both are probably too far behind leaders
Chelsea for either of the Manchester clubs to mount a title challenge.
But
a top-three finish and direct entry into the Champions League is still
on the horizon, not that the Manchester pair need much in the way of
additional motivation when playing each other.
England
striker Rooney, 29, is now United's leading derby scorer in history with
11 goals against City since arriving at Old Trafford from Everton in
2004.
City, however, have had the upper hand in recent
times, winning their last four matches against United and Rooney is
desperate to put an end to that run.
"You play for Man United, you want to win these derby games," he told MUTV, United's in-house television station.
"We
want to give United fans something to smile about when they go to work
on Monday morning, we want them to be the ones to be able to give out
the banter to Manchester City fans at work.
"I think
it's a very important game for Manchester United and Manchester City...
for the fans and, for me, it's a massive game of pride," added Rooney,
who scored a superb volley in last week's 3-1 win over Aston Villa.
Victory
on Sunday would put United four points in front of City, under pressure
after dropping to fourth following a shock 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace
on Monday.
United manager Louis van Gaal could recall
compatriot Robin van Persie after the Dutch striker returned to training
this week following an ankle injury.
City have won
just four of their last 11 league games but manager Manuel Pellegrini
insisted he wasn't concerned about his own position.
"I'm
never concerned about my job. I do my work and am very happy. You maybe
have a difficult season, but you never worry about things like this,"
Pellegrini said.
As for the title race, the Chilean
added: "Every point you drop makes it more difficult, but it's the same
answer. We are not thinking about the title... Just about the next game
at Old Trafford."
ARSENAL EFFICIENCY
Second-placed
Arsenal will move to within four points of Chelsea, but having played
two games more than the Blues, if they win away to second-bottom Burnley
on Saturday.
After a shaky start to the season, the
Gunners have now won 15 of their last 17 matches in all competitions, a
run which manager Arsene Wenger attributes to having a fully fit squad
no longer carrying any hangovers from last year's World Cup.
"I
just think we are at a stage of the season where we took off in
January, because we had nearly everybody available. That made us more
efficient," Wenger said.
Chelsea will take a giant
stride towards the title if they win away on Sunday to west London
rivals QPR, who gained a battling point in their Premier League survival
bid with a 3-3 midweek draw at Aston Villa.
The
build-up to this week's match has seen Jose Mourinho accept publicly
what friends and foes have long acknowledged — that he is a master
manipulator.
"I agree that sometimes I can have something of Machiavelli in some of my comments, but no more than that," Mourinho said.
Villa
travel to Tottenham on Saturday with manager Tim Sherwood adamant he
bore no resentment towards his former club for sacking him as their boss
last year.
"I wouldn't be sitting here as Aston Villa
manager if it wasn't for Tottenham Hotspur," Sherwood said. "I was
relieved of my duties and walked out with my head held very high. I was
pleased with what I did."
SAINTS WELCOME HULL
Southampton
continue their quest for Europa League football at home to Hull while
bottom-of-the-table Leicester face West Bromwich Albion.
Saturday also sees Sunderland, fresh from their derby win over Newcastle, at home to Palace.
Liverpool, beaten 4-1 by Arsenal last time out, face Newcastle at Anfield on Monday.
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