COMMENT: No chance of Manuel Pellegrini backing down on Sunday.
That was a powerful message - sent loud and clear to his Manchester City captain on Wednesday night. Indeed, never mind the captaincy, just consider Vincent Kompany's status in the game. He's thrown on against Sevilla in the 93rd minute? That's what the kids are there for. Not a captain of club and country.
But we know Pellegrini was furious with Kompany's decision to turn out for Belgium last week against Israel. The City manager wanted Kompany back in Manchester, completing his rehab from a calf injury. Instead, with his manager reeling from injuries to Sergio Aguero and David Silva within hours of eachother, Kompany was risking it all for Belgium in essentially a dead rubber. Of course Pellegrini would be angry.
And if the Chilean is true to his word, we won't see Kompany in the starting line-up for Sunday's blockbuster at Manchester United.
Pellegrini denied after the Sevilla win that he was punishing his captain, "Vincent is coming back from a long injury - he has been out for one month. There was a risk to give him the responsibility to play this important game."
Okay, so if he can only do two minutes in the Champions League, then there's no chance of him doing 90 at Old Trafford in the derby? C'mon, the whole world knows what Pellegrini was doing on Wednesday. And, if you're a City fan, he should be applauded.
For Pellegrini, the Pep Guardiola speculation is just that. Its rumours. He was making it clear to his locker room on Wednesday: he's the boss. There's a Premier League title at stake and a genuine shot at the Champions League. He's not going to have it derailed by external rumours or inside gossip. Take him on and there's only going to be one winner - as Kompany found out this week.
The manager took some risk with his selection. City only conceded one goal in the 525 minutes that Kompany played at the start of the season before his injury; without him they have not kept a clean sheet and have conceded 12 goals in 645 minutes. Even the idea of 'you score four and we'll get five' is shaky sans Aguero. But he backed Nicolas Otamendi and the gamble paid off.
It's ironic that the Argentine arrived to replace Eliaquim Mangala, yet such has been the Frenchman's improvement that Otamendi is now a real threat to the club captain.
Across town, the captaincy at United isn't exactly without question.
Wayne Rooney was solid, rather than spectacular, for his goalscoring performance at Everton last week. But in Russia against CSKA Moscow, the critics were again out en force after he drew a Champions League blank.
His former teammate, Paul Scholes, says Rooney is now being shown up by Anthony Martial. That's harsh. But you can understand where Scholes is coming from when considering Martial's goal in the 1-1 draw.
Before the Frenchman struck, Rooney had a chance with a header. But it was so tame, it was like he was cushioning it back to the keeper. There was no snap behind it, no real attempt to put it beyond Igor Akinfeev in the CSKA goal. Contrast that effort with Martial's strike, the youngster throwing himself at the cross and still having the wherewithal to guide it into the corner of the net. Maybe Scholesy has something here...?
Sunday will be a tale of two captains. Rooney and whether he can shake his lethargy. And Kompany, whether he can actually get on the pitch. The fallout, no matter what happens, will be enormous. If City lose with Kompany on the bench, you can just imagine the backlash against Pellegrini. Win and it is sure to be Rooney getting it in the neck - again.
But going into Sunday it shouldn't be just about two old warhorses. What of Martial versus Kevin de Bruyne? The pair have matched eachother stride for stride since arriving in Manchester. The Belgian joining City for a record £55 million. Martial's deal in the same range and also a record for United.
The politics involving Rooney and Kompany is fascinating. But come Sunday, it could all be overshadowed by two kids worth a combined £110 million.
Derbies are made for heroes - Rooney, 2011 and all that. No matter the issues around both captains, Sunday will be the first stage of a changing of the guard at both clubs. Rooney v Kompany? On current form? Nah. It's a shootout between Europe's top two kids - De Bruyne and Martial.
INJURY TIME
Boo Manchester City fans. Please, PLEASE, keeping booing the Champions League song.
Whoever the little so-and-so was at UEFA thought it wise to throw a charge at City for their fans booing during their precious anthem is an absolute disgrace.
Who on earth do UEFA think they are? Stopping someone booing a song? After all the garbage around their president, Michel Platini? Are you kiddin'? With actions like this, the place is becoming a laughing stock.
If City fans are upset with UEFA over Financial Fair Play or stadium closures or Platini, himself, they have every right to make their feelings known.
UEFA's pathetic actions this week should only further cement the idea in England that Richard Scudamore, the Premier League and even David Gill, need to start throwing their weight around and demanding a greater say for English clubs in international competition.
The idea that you're going to attack and muzzle fans for harmlessly expressing opinion that you disagree with runs against everything the spirit of sport is about. Shame on you, UEFA.
