400 police officers to cover Manchester derby as police fears for Jose Mourinho vs Pep Guardiola long term feud/rivalry
Manchester
United will welcome Man City to Old Trafford this weekend, but to police chiefs
in Greater Manchester, UK, this isn't a normal football game. 400 police chiefs
will be deployed to Old Trafford after hearing of the old bitter feud between
Man U manager Jose Mourinho and Man City manager Pep Guardiola.
The police officers are
expected to be on duty for the 12.30pm kick-off and they
will be briefed about the Mourinho/Guardiola feud which dates back to their
days managing Real Madrid and Barcelona.
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'There is no
intelligence to suggest that there will be mass disorder. And while it does not
necessarily affect the risk element, police are aware of the Jose Mourinho/Pep
Guardiola rivalry and that the arrival of the new managers and their own
rivalry could bring heightened tension.
Chief Inspector Dean
Howard, from greater Manchester Police (GMP), is Saturday's match commander.
He said:
'This is arguably the biggest game of the season
so far and no doubt will have the eyes of the world watching. We have a lot of
experience policing high-profile fixtures such as this and we work closely with
officials and fan groups from both clubs. The vast majority of supporters are
law-abiding members of the public and we hope all those in attendance enjoy the
game in a competitive but safe atmosphere, allowing Manchester to once again
showcase its football.'
Mourinho and Pep were
once close friends and colleagues while they worked at Barcelona under Louis
Van Gaal.
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