Roberto Mancini wants City fans to make their presence felt in tonight's Carling Cup derby semi-final.

The Manager has already struck up a good relationship with Blues supporters in the two home games he has taken charge of, and he is calling on them to raise the roof against United tonight.

We want to make being at home count. Our fans when we are at home are like our 12th player so we have to do well for that reason.

...Roberto Mancini...

"All results can happen in a derby match. There is no favourite in this game, United will have a strong team but we can be strong as well as long as we concentrate. We have to want to win every ball, if we do that we will do well.

"A derby is always an important game, but it's more important that this is a cup semi-final and we are just a win from Wembley. Any derby match is a big game for City supporters, so we will have to keep our concentration but not forget that we have two games."

The City boss knows all about what it takes to succeed in two-legged cup football, boasting a superb record in the Coppa Italia as both a player and a manager. Six winner's medals in his playing career were supplemented by his masterminding Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter to success as a coach so he is well aware of the special nature of both a cup tie and a derby.

He continues, "It's different to have it over two matches, but something that's normal for me coming from Italy. Derbies are special for supporters but also for the players. They will want to give their best because it means so much to the supporters. They will know how important the game is.

"I'm excited about it. I want us to play well, I want us to win but a draw is not bad, we have to remember the match is over two legs."

The boss is keen to end City's long wait for silverware, and having done so in his time as a manager in Italy he knows what winning a trophy can do for a club.

"When you start to win trophies, your mentality starts to change. A derby stays important, but what is important is getting to your target. We want to win the Carling Cup or the FA Cup, but we must finish in the top four. Once we starting winning, our mentality will be different," he concluded.

*There will be a collection inside the ground this evening by the Red Cross on behalf of the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal.