Watch Manchester City vs Manchester United on Wednesday live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 7pm; Kick-off is at 7.45pm
Tuesday 28 January 2020 22:40, UK
A huge derby clash awaits Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday - but the most significant date in their week is Transfer Deadline Day, writes Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper.
United head into the Carabao Cup semi-final tie trailing their cross-city rivals after losing the first leg 3-1 at Old Trafford, but in truth, most fans will see Wednesday's game as a bit of a free-hit.
The most significant date this week is, in fact, Friday - and transfer Deadline Day. No signing has so far materialised in January at Old Trafford, traditionally not a ripe month for Red recruitment either in numbers or quality, but right now the club needs a new face or faces for a variety of reasons.
While Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would welcome acquisitions with open arms to improve his options and the strength of his team, a new arrival or two would also depressurise some of the hostility we're seeing right now from supporters.
Six goals at Tranmere will certainly help this squad's belief in itself but what it doesn't mask is that Solskjaer is relying on Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood as his primary goal threats, and can't afford an injury to either player.
The United boss seems confident Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba will be back after the club's winter break, boosting his midfield options again, so perhaps it's the signing of a striker that remains the priority over the remaining days of this window.
Suddenly Manchester United and their manager have a chance to take a breath and assess where they're at thanks to a stunning performance on a Prenton Park pitch that bore all the potential hallmarks of an FA Cup giant-killing.
In truth, United never looked back from Harry Maguire's first goal for the club. As fans were waiting for a header from him, he opted for a 20-yard strike to open his account.
Had things not gone to plan for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his players, the alarm bells would have been ringing loud and clear - but six goals, a clean sheet and progress to the next round have changed the mood going into Wednesday evening's trip to the blue side of Manchester.
It was the first time Manchester United have scored six goals in a game since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, and the biggest away win since their current manager hit four of his side's eight goals in a game at Nottingham Forest in 1999.
However, the fact that the six goals at Tranmere were scored by six different players is probably the most eye-catching statistic on an afternoon when a banana skin wasn't just stepped over, it was obliterated.
The opportunity to take Martial and Nemanja Matic off at half-time was also a valuable one in preparation for the City game, with Maguire tellingly withdrawn midway through the second half to give him precious rest.
Well, it's a tricky question to answer based on this season's performances and results. But it has to be said that once again, when Solskjaer needed his men to take responsibility and deliver, they did just that - albeit this time it was against opposition some 60 places below them in the football ladder.
When you look at where and when Manchester United have won their games, it's usually in clumps of two with a couple of occasions where they've put three victories together. However, a feel-good performance like the one at Tranmere is often followed up with a positive result next time out.
The big problem United now face is that it's Manchester City standing between them and a Wembley final, with a 3-1 lead when the second leg begins at the Etihad Stadium.
In truth, City should have put the tie to bed in the first half of the first game at Old Trafford but Marcus Rashford's goal and the character shown in the FA Cup suggest this is a side that has resolve and determination when it wants to.
Pep's men will still be overwhelming favourites, and quite rightly so, but it doesn't seem quite the lost cause that many supporters thought it was when the full-time whistle blew at the end of the first leg.
Clearly what Manchester United have to do is win the game at the Etihad by two or more goals to take the tie to penalties or themselves to the final. They've won three of their last five encounters at City's home and have only been beaten there on one of those occasions.
But it's the other part of the equation that will be most tricky for Solskjaer and his players and that's stopping their neighbours from scoring. Only Wolves have done that in any game this season and that was back in October, otherwise in the other 36 games in all competitions, Manchester City have always found the back of the net.
While United were enjoying themselves on the Wirral this weekend, City cruised past Fulham aided by Tim Ream's early sending off.
Pep Guardiola's side have now won 11 of their last 13 in all competitions and while Martial and Matic were substituted at Prenton Park, neither Sergio Aguero or Kevin De Bruyne were required at the Etihad Stadium giving them precious rest ahead of a semi-final second leg of a trophy that they've won three times in the last four seasons.
In fact, the League Cup itself has become Manchester property just recently, with United bringing the silverware back to Old Trafford when City didn't in 2017.
And as another Manchester derby beckons, the mind also drifts back to the last time the two sides met at this stage of the competition. That was in 2010, with the Citizens winning the first leg at the Etihad 2-0 only for the Reds to roar back at Old Trafford with a 3-1 victory.
Times have changed incredibly in just nine years: Michael Carrick played in both legs of that tie and scored in the second game, this time round he'll be sat next to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they attempt to pull off a minor miracle. What Manchester United can call upon is the spirit they showed the last time they crossed the city.
Their 2-1 win against the reigning Premier League champions in December was a major surprise. On this occasion, however, one of their first targets will be trying to secure just their second clean sheet of their Carabao Cup campaign, as only Colchester United have failed to score against them.
You can watch Manchester United take on Manchester City in the return leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 7pm on Sky Sports Football HD and kick-off at 7.45pm.
