Early reports indicated that crowd favourite Webb would line up for the league leaders, but news has now surfaced that Ferguson is to take a gamble on Marriner.
Marriner, who has only made 3 starts for Man Utd this season, is a surprise selection by Ferguson, given Webb’s ability to pull highly contentious decisions out of the bag in big matches.
“Webby has put in some great performances for us in the past, but I feel the expectation levels of supporters could be too much for him on this occasion,” revealed Ferguson.
“I might put him on the bench as an impact referee in case we need one of their players sending off or a penalty deep into stoppage time.”
Last time out
After suffering their biggest home defeat earlier in the season since 1955, Sir Alex Ferguson had blamed his side’s humiliating 6-1 defeat by Man City on the Premier League’s inability to field a referee who is a Man Utd fan.
Speaking after that match, he blasted “They outplayed us in all areas of the pitch when the referee didn’t intervene.”
“There were times when they made us look stupid and yet the referee’s done nothing to protect us.”
“Their lad David Silva was a different class, but the ref’s blatantly allowed him to stay on the pitch.”
“It’s an absolute disgrace.”
Ferguson highlighted the absence of their talismanic decision maker, Howard Webb as a key factor in the outcome of the game.
“If Webbsy had been playing then Balotelli would have been sent off for blatantly getting into numerous goal-scoring positions,” Ferguson insisted.
Manchester Derby
The news of Marriner’s inclusion has left United fans miffed given Ferguson’s criticism of his performance in a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in 2009.
“It doesn’t make any sense not to include Webbo,” said avid fan Gideon St Clare, who has lived in Plymouth all his life and who only started supporting United last year when they won their 19th League title, before that he supported Liverpool, and before that .... Nottingham Forest.
“In games like this you want your best performers on the pitch, and Webbsio pulling the strings is as good as going into the game with a two-nil lead.”
“I hope that our manager, a Mr Ferguson, has seen something in Marriner in training that suggests he can rise to the occasion.”
“If City have still got eleven men on the pitch at half-time then I’ll be singing Webbsyio’s name.”
“I’ll be singing it at the TV, but rest assured that the wife will be left in no doubt about how angry I am.”
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