Man United and City at home on same night

Manchester United and Manchester City have been given the green light to play their Capital One Cup fourth round games on the same night, Oct. 28, due to fixture congestion.

Football League chiefs were facing fixture headache when the two clubs were both drawn at home, with the ties to be played in the week following the Manchester derby. But with the derby taking place at Old Trafford on the Sunday, and both back in action the following Saturday due to their Champions League schedule, options were few for the Capital One Cup ties.

There was the prospect that one club could have had to play twice in 48 hours, to avoid both playing at home on the same night, but Greater Manchester Police have approved a plan for both to play on the Wednesday.

United play host to Middlesbrough, while Crystal Palace make the trip to the Etihad.

Dean Howard, Chief Inspector of Greater Manchester police’s force events unit, told the Guardian: “Due to the football fixture schedule, both Manchester United and Manchester City are scheduled to play their League Cup ties at their home grounds on Wednesday 28 October.

“This is an unusual situation, although it is not the first time we have had this happen. Both teams played at home against different opposition on the same night in 2009, in the same competition. GMP are working with both clubs, and other partners, in an effort to minimise any disruption to local communities and reduce the risk of any disorder taking place.”

The fixtures in 2009 were similar, with London side Fulham playing at City and Wolves, a club of a similar distance from Manchester, at Old Trafford.

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