Man City ramp up Manchester United preparations with city centre 'takeover'

Manchester City fans making the journey to Luton for the FA Cup on Tuesday might have noticed a series of eye-catching adverts at Piccadilly Station. There was a cup clash to win first, but focus was already turning towards Sunday's derby day.

Manchester United fans travelling to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday will have seen the same adverts at Piccadilly, or an even bigger one at nearby Piccadilly Gardens - and there is more where that came from. The adverts will remain in place throughout March to get fans in the mood for Sunday's Premier League derby at the Etihad - and will stay there until after the Women's Super League derby at the same stadium on March 23.

They are all part of a 'takeover' of iconic Manchester spots by City sponsor Asahi to get fans of both teams talking in the run-up to a huge game. The Piccadilly Station adverts declare 'Derby Day is different here', and that 'Nobody is Neutral.'

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Another advert reads: 'Derby Day. Birthday. Wedding Day. In that order.' with one bearing the slogan: "Toe to toe. Head to head. Neighbour to neighbour." A short distance away in Piccadilly Gardens, the larger advert says: "The biggest games in Manchester deserve the biggest poster" as it wraps around a five-storey building.

Each advert contains pictures of key players from the men's and women's first teams at City, complete with the logos of City and Asahi. Both the men's and women's sides need vital points against United to keep their respective title bids on track, while United could do with three points themselves in both games to maintain