Manchester City real contenders says Sir Alex Ferguson

Carling Cup semi-final first leg: Manchester City v Manchester United
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium Date: Tuesday, 19 January KO: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One and BBC Sport website; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

Sir Alex Ferguson admits Manchester City are now one of his Manchester United side's serious competitors ahead of the teams' Carling Cup semi-final.

The two meet at Eastlands on Tuesday in the first leg of an eagerly-awaited tie, with City's galaxy of stars now pushing for supremacy in Manchester.

Roberto Mancini's cash-rich side are looking to qualify for their first major domestic final since 1981.

"You have to recognise they are a competitor now," admitted Ferguson.

"We have had to wait a long time for it to be like that but they are obviously making a much better fist of their league programme this year than they have done in the past.

"You could not compare it to Rangers and Celtic but having rivals in the same city does create far more emotion."

City have never seriously challenged their neighbours in the past 20 years, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool - and briefly Blackburn and Newcastle - providing the strongest opposition.

But the takeover by Abu Dhabi businessman Sheikh Mansour in 2008 and an enormous subsequent cash injection has seen the club become genuine contenders for silverware.

For all the progress under former manager Mark Hughes and his successor Mancini, however, City still approach the game nine points behind their arch-rivals in the Premier League.

But both sides' league ambitions will go out of the window in what promises to be a fiercely competitive cup clash, screened live on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.

Much of the attention will focus on City's Carlos Tevez, who will face the club he left in somewhat acrimonious circumstances last summer, but his former manager insists he will not lose sleep over the prospect of coming up against the in-form Argentine.

"What happens with him doesn't concern me," said Ferguson.

"You have to move on with life. Plenty of players have left here to go to other clubs.

"I wouldn't have thought it would affect him either. He always had a decent temperament."

Mancini, meanwhile, believes his side have the capability to knock United off their pedestal and become Britain's biggest club.

City are currently fifth in the Premier League after an inconsistent start to the season, including a memorable 4-3 defeat by United at Old Trafford in September.

Mancini's side have registered notable victories over their rivals in recent years, most notably 3-1 and 4-1 results before and after the Blues' move to Eastlands.

But silverware has always eluded the blue half of Manchester - a statement that could hardly be further from the truth as far as United's recent past goes.

But Mancini, who suffered his first defeat as City boss against Everton on Saturday, feels that could all change in the near future.

"If we work well, it is possible," said the Italian.

"United have a big history. They have been a good team for many years.

"City can become a big team in the next year. It is most important that we get into the top four.

"That would change the situations. Surely it would be better if City were also a big club in the future because then Manchester could have two clubs in the Champions League."

United left-back Patrice Evra has also stoked up the atmosphere by stating his team are interested in winning trophies, not local rivalries.

Man City can reach final - Mancini

With City last tasting Wembley success in 1981, Evra believes a superior record will see the Red Devils through over the two-legged encounter.

"We know the City people are talking about this game," the 29-year-old said.

"We are playing to go closer to winning the cup, maybe they're playing to beat us. That is the difference between us."

Centre-back Rio Ferdinand will not be considered for United despite edging closer to full fitness after three months out with a back injury.

Midfielder Darren Fletcher is available after suspension and should be involved and there is a possibility Dimitar Berbatov could retain his place up front after Ferguson revealed the £30.75m record signing did not suffer a recurrence of his knee injury during the win against Burnley.

Ferguson has picked youthful sides in previous rounds but it seems unlikely he will field an inexperienced team for such a high-profile game.

Meanwhile, City have been rocked by the news that striker Roque Santa Cruz faces a month out after suffering a recurrence of his calf injury.

Patrick Vieira's debut is on hold until he recovers from the calf injury he picked up immediately before his move from Inter Milan, but fellow midfielder Stephen Ireland is at least fit enough to take up a place on the bench after missing three matches with a hamstring problem.

Mancini must also decide whether to start with Robinho after substituting the Brazilian forward against Everton, having sent him on from the bench earlier in the same game.

From BBC