Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has urged the club’s fans to make Old Trafford a cauldron for tonight’s visitors Manchester City, claiming they can play a huge part in the eventual outcome of tie.
The 36-year-old Manchester United midfielder suggests Old Trafford should recreate an atmosphere akin to one of their famous European nights and roar Sir Alex Ferguson’s side through to the Carling Cup final at the expense of their bitter rivals Manchester City.
Manchester United trail Manchester City 2-1 courtesy of two Carlos Tevez goals at the City of Manchester Stadium last week, yet Giggs intimates a partisan Old Trafford crowd and calm heads oon Sir Alex Ferguson’s players, should be enough to beat Roberto Mancini’s side.
Giggs told Manchester United’s official website: “They are going to play a massive part.”
“It was a great atmosphere at Eastlands and our fans were absolutely brilliant.”
“We need them to get behind us again because it really does make a difference,”
“It's not often you play City in a night game - it'll be like a European match in some respects which is obviously something we're used to and something which we usually thrive on.”
“It was a great game at Eastlands and although we didn't get the result we wanted if we perform like that again on Wednesday then we should be okay.”
Although a Derby is always hotly contested, the evergreen Manchester United veteran claims the club must not lose sight of the fact that it is a cup semi-final, and a chance to defend one of the trophies they won last year.
Giggs concluded: “Of course, it’s a derby but it's also a cup semi-final with a place at Wembley at stake and a trophy at the end of it,”
“We're the holders and we want to defend our trophy.”