I got 29 so making that par...

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, Getty Images

It is fair to say Phil Jones' inclusion in the Manchester United starting line-up has created a stir.

Jones has been a figure of fun at Old Trafford for some time now, more famous for the faces he pulls when he makes a tackle than for anything substantive he has done on the pitch.

It is scarcely believable he was compared to Duncan Edwards when he first arrived at United from Blackburn.

He will never get near those heights but he could start a resurgence in his reputation if he manages to keep City quiet tonight.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, Rex Features

Wayne Rooney had the last word the last time there was a Manchester derby in the semi-finals of the League Cup (the only other time actually).

That was January 2010, when Rooney’s stoppage time goal and somersault celebration here at the very end of the second leg gave United a dramatic 4-3 aggregate win.

City had a pretty miserable record at Old Trafford in those days, with only one win here since 1974, but they have done a lot better in recent years.

Since losing that League Cup tie, they have won on six out of 10 visits, scoring 20 goals and conceding 11, including a win here the last time they crossed the city in April.

Image source, BBC Sport

Nothing more likely to stir up a fanbase than talk of selling out or not selling out a game...

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

This is Pep Guardiola's ninth Manchester derby.

He has played four at Old Trafford and four at the Etihad Stadium. Three times he emerged victories away from home, yet he has managed it only once at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester United make six changes from Saturday’s FA Cup draw with Wolves, when they failed to get a single shot on target.

Among those back in the starting line-up tonight, and hoping to do rather better in front of goal, are Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard.

Harry Maguire misses out with the knock he picked up at Molineux so Phil Jones comes into the back-line, and David de Gea, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Fred also return.

Man Utd: de Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Jones, Williams, Andreas Pereira, Fred, James, Lingard, Rashford, Greenwood. Subs: Mata, Martial, Dalot, Romero, Gomes, Matic, Chong.

Holders Manchester City are also much-changed from their weekend FA Cup win over Port Vale - Claudio Bravo, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva are the only survivors from that game.

Benjamin Mendy gets the nod to try to deal with the electric pace of Daniel James and is one of eight players returning to the side along with Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Nicolas Otamendi, Rodri, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne.

It looks like Mendy will be on the left of a back four tonight but Pep Guardiola has experimented recently with a 3-4-3 formation - if he goes with that tonight then Mendy and Walker will be wing-backs and Rodri will drop into the back-line.

Man City: Bravo, Rodri, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Walker, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Mendy, Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Sterling. Subs: Gabriel Jesus, Aguero, Silva, Joao Cancelo, Ederson, Foden, Garcia.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

Apologies to the apologists.

Naomi B: We've just had how many rounds of Premier League? Plus FA Cup weekend, it probably is a game too far, regardless of who is playing. But saying that, the old Man United would have sold out any game...

Kieran: City get slaughtered for the odd empty blue seat. United fail to sell thousands of tickets. For a Semi-final! Against their local rivals! And the BBC apologists are asking is it a game too far?!

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he would never manage Manchester United and would prefer to go on holiday than take over at Old Trafford.

Guardiola was on United's radar to replace Sir Alex Ferguson but had already agreed to join Bayern Munich when the Scot retired in 2013.

The Spaniard said his status at City means he would not join United even if it was the only offer he had.

"If I didn't have any offers, I would be in the Maldives," he said.

"Maybe not the Maldives because it doesn't have any golf courses but after training City, I won't train United, just like I would never train Madrid.

"Definitely not."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Four full internationals on the Manchester United bench and five on Manchester City's.

Interestingly, no defender on the home side's though.

Mind you, Fernandinho has been playing in central defence for City all season, so I suppose Nemanja Matic might step in.

Image source, Getty Images

Great news - The Video assistant referee system will be used for this year's Carabao Cup semi-finals and final.

Manchester United take on Manchester City while Leicester host the first leg of their semi-final with Aston Villa on Wednesday.

VAR was first used in England in an FA Cup third-round tie between Brighton and Crystal Palace in January 2018.

It featured in the EFL Cup that year and has since been in operation for semi-finals and the final, although it was not used for Manchester City's semi-final against Bristol City in 2018.

Phil Jones' last start was back in November in the 3-3 draw at Sheffield United. He's been at Old Trafford since June 2011 you know...

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Marcus Rashford wears the Manchester United captain's armband for the first time tonight.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already named five captains this season, including Jesse Lingard and David de Gea, who start tonight.

But Rashford gets the honour. Big responsibility.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester City have "raised the bar" under Pep Guardiola, giving his side "something to aim for".

City are 14 points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League, but Solskjaer says they still "set the standards", with United lagging behind.

"In a derby it's about adrenalin and atmosphere," added the Norwegian.

Manchester United

Manchester United also go strong, reasonably so anyway. They make five changes from the side which drew at Wolves as Lingard, Rashford, Fred, Wan-Bissaka and Phil Jones all start.

Manchester City

Manchester City are not here to make any friends - it's a very strong XI indeed. Eight changes in all from the FA Cup team at the weekend.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Image source, MCFC

To paraphrase that famous Carlos Tevez billboard,, external welcome to the first Manchester derby of the 2020s… and whisper it quietly around Old Trafford, but the 2010s in these parts were definitely blue, not red.

When Sir Alex Ferguson’s United knocked City out of the League Cup at the semi-final stage in January 2010, they were definitely top dogs locally.

Back then, City had gone 34 years without any silverware and had finished below United 29 of the previous 30 seasons, but they got a lot noisier over the next decade.

Between 2010 and 2019, they eclipsed their rivals in terms of Premier titles (4-2), major trophies (10-7, or 13-11 if you count Community Shields) and higher league finishes (7-3).

Who will land the first blow of the 2020s though?