City Vox Pops, part 8

Can we do it, and if so what do you see as being the key factors in us going there, getting a result and making our first Cup Final in what's felt like forever?

Wallace, ESPN Soccernet
"Yes, although I don't think it will be easy and the team will have to hold its nerve as seven minutes of Fergie Time are added!

The key factor will be the formation that Mancini picks to start the game. Despite the euphoria of the first leg victory the initial formation that Mancini went with was almost a 4-2-2-2 with de Jong and Barry in front of the back four, Zabaleta and SWP further forward on the wings and Bellamy and Tevez through the middle. It was the first time I'd seen Mancini make a tactical error and United worked the gap between Garrido, Barry and Zabaleta to get the first goal. Once the team moved to a 4-5-1, after the United goal, it choked the midfield and prevented United from playing.

If United score in the first fifteen minutes it will be very difficult for City to come back as the Owed Trafford crowd will be really into the game. Mancini has been brilliant in tinkering with formations during games. He has to get this right from the moment they walk out the tunnel. If he does City go through in a tight 2-2 draw. If not, United by at least two".

Jason, This Is Our City
"Can we do it? Yes, we can and the key factors will be having Kolo Toure back in defence, Patrick Vieira in midfield and Emmanuel Adebayor upfront with Carlos Tevez. They will be expecting another Carlos Tevez show and are not expecting much more aerial threat. No fear from the off needed".

Danny, Bitter & Blue
"Of course we can do it and I remain confident (as I wrote post-match last week) that we will go through.

I don’t see United operating too differently from last week, with them using the full-backs to supplement their attacking midfielders. I’d be surprised if Mancini went with anything other than a defensive, counter-attacking system to try and stymie United as he set out to do last week and the longer we can frustrate them the better – particularly Rooney who will be very dangerous.

It will undeniably be a tough proposition, but we are more than capable of scoring against a defence that has not been as tight as it has been in seasons past. If we could get the first goal too that be a huge bonus.

A difficult task lies ahead, but Mancini appears to be making the right decisions at the right times and I’ll pick us to go through with a score draw".

Jack, The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll
"We can, but we are unlikely to. Ultimately I don't think that we will. Remember just how much of the ball United had at Eastlands, how much pressure we were under throughout. We were lucky to concede only once. But if we are to do it - and I'd put our chances of progress at about 30% - these will be the key factors...

First, the defence. They must have, individually and collectively, the performance of their lives. Shay Given must make those saves that only he can make again and again. Vincent Kompany must play faultlessly, as must whoever partners him - the safe option is Nedum Onuoha but Dedryck Boyata and Kolo Touré must both be in contention. The problem, of course, is Wayne Rooney. He is in the form of his life - 12 goals in his last 12 games - and was terrifying in that tense last half-hour in the first leg. If we can somehow shackle him that's half the challenge.

But I still think we will concede a goal or two. So we're going to have score. With Tévez, SWP and Bellamy on the pitch, though, I back us to create a chance or two. Taking them will be crucial. Particularly if we can score early, leave United needing three to avoid the game going to penalties - and their weekend game is much more important than ours. Which might give us the space to score a second.

So we need a lot to go our way. I think progress to Wembley will be just beyond us, but it's not impossible".

Gary, We've Got Robinho
"I think we can certainly win the tie. United are a top team but now we are, too. I think the key to winning the game tomorrow will be attacking football. We sat back too much in the first leg and let them come at us too often. When we did play them at their own game they did not like it. I definitely think we should set up to attack. Hopefully the game will prove to be yet another time we have stepped on Utd's head to reach the League Cup Final".

Alan, Blue Days
"Can we do it? Yes we can, but a lifetime's experience has taught me not to go into a derby expecting a result, or even expecting to enjoy the game - the pleasure comes afterwards IF we get the result. English teams fare better playing with a high tempo, but Mancini's not English. He's more likely to try a policy of containment, taking the sting out of the game, and hitting them on the break, in a similar way to our last victory at Old Trafford under Sven (Mancini's mentor).

Whether we can take the sting out of this one is another matter, and if we only try and defend like we did in the last twenty minutes of the first leg, we're probably doomed. We'll also need to keep a closer eye on their use of the flanks and retain possession better than we did on our last visit. I think we need to score, and I'd play Ireland in front of Barry and de Jong where he can release Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Tevez. If Ireland can then get on the end of things, we're in with a shout.

Ideally I'd like us to get an early goal, with Robinho coming on later to seal it (with a hat-trick)!"