Manchester brace for derby

It is not the kind of thing any self-respecting Manchester City fan would admit to in public.

But at some point over the last decade, every one of them must have found themselves wishing that their infuriatingly inconsistent team had a leader in the mould of Roy Keane.

The Manchester United skipper is a hate figure for the blue half of Manchester, not altogether unreasonably given that it was against City, in April 2001, that he committed his most infamous foul -- a studs-first lunge at Alfie Haaland which Keane later admitted was pre-meditated.

But even the most died-in-the-wool City fan must realise that their side could do with a bit of the raw will to win that has made the Irishman a revered icon at Old Trafford.

Now however there is a growing belief around the City of Manchester stadium that, in Joey Barton, the club have finally unearthed a midfield talent capable of crossing swords with the likes of Keane and living to tell the tale.

An England under-21 international, Barton has established himself in Kevin Keegan's side this season at the expense of a number of seasoned internationals and his commitment to the cause has made him as popular with the City fans as Keane is with their United counterparts.

Barton admits that a close study of Keane's commanding performances have been part of his apprenticeship as a player with aspirations to joining the officer class of midfielders.

But in true Keano-style, he insists that will not prevent him from giving the Irishman his best shot when the pair go head-to-head in the lunchtime clash at Old Trafford on Saturday.

"He has been the player I've watched most in the United side because he plays in the same area as me," Barton said. "He has been one of the best in Europe but I hope to give him a hard time.

Keane has been kept on a tight rein by Sir Alex Ferguson this season, the United manager anxious to prolong the career of the player he values more highly than any other.

A derby however is exactly the kind of environment in which the United captain's (generally) controlled aggression can be deployed to the greatest effect and Keane is certain to return after being rested when his team-mates beat Stuttgart in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Rio Ferdinand, in contrast, will be playing his third game in eight days. But the England centreback is painfully aware that the encounter with City could be his last for some time.

Ferdinand is due to appear before a Football Association disciplinary panel next week to answer charges of missing a doping test back in September. A ban, of three months or more, seems inevitable.

With Arsenal not in action until Sunday, United could go briefly to the top of the league if they beat City, although Chelsea will have the chance to restore their lead later in the day when they entertain Bolton at Stamford Bridge.

Like United, Bolton are fretting about the imminent loss of a star player, although in their case it is the African Nations Cup that is threatening to deprive them of Jay Jay Okocha.

Nigeria have asked for the midfielder to be released on December 19, four weeks before the tournament kicks off

Liverpool can finally haul themselves into fourth place -- the minimum required for a Champions League spot and for Gerard Houllier to keep his job -- by beating Southampton at Anfield.

Charlton are in a similar position but face a trickier assignment away to Middlesbrough, who have not conceded a goal in six games.