After two weeks in the making, the day of the Manchester derby has finally arrived.

The first Manchester derby of the season kicks off at 13.30pm local time in the UK, which is 20.30pm in China.

It wasn't an ideal prime time for British fans, but given the game's impact in Asia, the game was kicked off at such a time.

The Telegraph pointed out that people in nearly 200 countries and regions around the world will watch the game, from the United Arab Emirates to China to the United States, taking into account different time zones, covering time periods from just waking up to going to bed at night.

According to British media estimates, 700 million spectators will watch the Manchester derby during the game, and this figure does not include people who watch the game together in Internet cafes, bars or in public. In the past, the double red between Manchester United and Liverpool was the most watched football match in the UK, but now the Manchester derby is close to catching up with the double red club.

Gao Xiaodong and Balotelli are the most talked-about stars of the two clubs, and the fact that the two were once teammates and friends also gave the game more to watch.

Especially Gao Xiaodong, behind him is the big market of 1.3 billion people in Huaguo, and the number of fans he alone can almost keep up with the entire Manchester City team.

On the day of the game, Gao Xiaodong posted a message on his Weibo, Twitter and Facebook, "The first Manchester derby in my life, ask for support and forward", this message was sent in the morning, and in less than three hours, the number of retweets and comments on Weibo has exceeded one million, and Twitter has more than 200,000, and the popularity is unprecedented.

Training at Carrington in the morning was a bit nervous even for the seasoned Manchester United veterans.

The record-breaking battle, which happened to meet the same city derby, after the sworn enemy sugar daddy in the same city, recruited troops, increased strength, and the main players were worth nearly 300 million pounds, which was by no means the original "noisy neighbor", and what made matters worse was that Manchester United was attacked by the flu virus again, and it seemed as if God was not willing to let Manchester United break this record.

When we had dinner together after training, Ferguson gave the players a psychological massage, telling them not to take the record, derby or anything to heart, just play as an ordinary game, play how they should play, think too much, but they can't play their strength.

The so-called easier said than done, Ferguson said it simply, but where is this tension so easy to eliminate, Ferguson himself understands that this requires players to solve it on the pitch by themselves, and those who can solve this psychological problem and play extraordinarily are stars, and what can't be solved is just an ordinary player.

After eating and sleeping for an hour, the United players left Carrington in a bus and headed to Manchester City Stadium.

After the start of the new season, Manchester United's record is extremely brilliant, fighting on three fronts, all victories so far, and now they are about to challenge the dusty opening streak of 50 years, the fans are enthusiastic about watching the game, during the morning training, Carrington came around almost 3,000 fans, when the Manchester United bus departed, these fans were sandwiched to see each other for more than two miles, and then followed the Manchester United players to Manchester City Stadium.

There is not much time left before the start of the game, Manchester City Stadium is surrounded by fans, both red and blue, but this game is Manchester City's home stadium, and there are more Manchester City fans in blue jerseys, and Manchester United fans in red jerseys are clustered east and west, like small islands in the blue sea.

Manchester City fans are also full of expectations for this Manchester derby, after the arrival of the Middle Eastern tycoons in Manchester City, Manchester City fans thought that the dawn would come, and they would replicate the miracle of Abou's arrival at Chelsea.

However, the reality is cruel, Mourinho and Chelsea have only one, Mansour has spent a lot of money since he became the owner of Manchester City, but his record is far inferior to Chelsea, not to mention that he has not won the Premier League title, and even the Champions League seat has not been able to get it.

After Mancini took over, Manchester City's style of play gradually took shape, last season was almost to get the Champions League seat, this season to recruit horses, although did not buy Gao Xiaodong this level of stars, but the strength of the game last season has been greatly improved, currently ranked fourth, although the league championship is minimal, but the hope of getting the Champions League seat is great.

Seeing Manchester United's results so hot and the hope of snatching the league title from defending champions Chelsea is huge, Manchester City fans are very jealous, and they are very eager for Manchester City to beat Manchester United in this game, break the opponent's record-setting dreams, and drag them down.

The arrival of the Manchester United bus attracted onlookers from both sides, and the Red Devils took pictures with their mobile phones, at this time they did not dare to expect the stars to sign autographs and take pictures with them, as long as the United players could wave to them and say hello, they would be satisfied.

Manchester City fans desperately booed Manchester United's buses and provoked Manchester United players.

"You're going to lose!"

"We're going to give you a 6:1!"

"Don't look at how much you win now, the championship won't be yours!"

"Wait to be fucked!

……

The Manchester United players were discussing the upcoming game in the car at the moment, and no one cared about the noise and provocation of the fans outside.

The bus pulled into the parking lot and the players got out of the car and went to the visiting team's dressing room, where they met the home team's players head-on.

The big game is just around the corner, and even players who have been in one team just nod, with Tevez not even looking at his former team-mates at Manchester United.

But Balotelli is an alternative, he came over and hugged Gao Xiaodong, "Gao, let's change our jersey after the game." ”

Gao Xiaodong scratched his head, hugged Balotelli helplessly, and then gently pushed him away, "No problem, definitely no problem." ”

Balotelli didn't walk away, and continued to say to Gao Xiaodong: "I haven't officially played against you except for the training match, I'm looking forward to it, by the way, if you score, how are you going to celebrate?"

Gao Xiaodong almost scratched his hair off, and said with a wry smile: "I haven't thought about it, I don't have any ideas." ”

Balotelli laughed and said, "I'm ready, show you......" said Balotelli as he took off his coat.

"Forget it, Mario, it's cold. Gao Xiaodong hurriedly stopped, "Let's talk about it when you come in." ”

Balotelli smiled: "Yes, leave some suspense and expectation, and I'll show you when I score." ”

"Okay, okay, I'm looking forward to it, see you on the field, Mario. ”

Gao Xiaodong saw that his teammates did not leave, and they all looked at himself and Balotelli with the eyes of a joke, Gao Xiaodong was so embarrassed, he hurriedly said goodbye to Balotelli and walked to the locker room.

"See you on the field, high. Balotelli didn't feel anything, and followed his team-mates into the dressing room with a smile.

At this time, it was less than half an hour before the start of the game, and the two live commentators of beIN Sports, Andy Gray and Richard Keith, had already obtained the starting lineups of both sides, and they hurriedly announced the starting lineups to the fans, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the starting lineups of the players on both sides, as well as their views on the game.