Experts side with Manchester City in FA Cup ticket storm with United

Manchester United are set to receive around 5,700 tickets for next months FA Cup derby after safety officials came down on Citys side in a row over their allocation.

Reds bosses wrote to the FA to complain when their request for 7,170 seats for the January 8 Etihad showdown was turned down by the Blues.

Competition rules stipulate that visiting clubs are entitled to 15 per cent of the stadiums capacity and the Old Trafford hierarchy felt justified in asking for that.

A crunch meeting was held yesterday between a safety advisory group, which featured representatives from both sides, the police and the town hall.

And M.E.N. Sport understands that they were minded to recommend the lower allocation to FA bosses who are expected to make the final decision today.

If Uniteds bid was successful it would have seen the Reds fans situated in two stands. That would have led to the closure of turnstiles and rival supporters sharing the same concourses in the bowels of the Etihad with officers faced with the unenviable task of having to keep them apart. Faced with such a situation the group recommended that the allocation remain at what Blues officials had suggested.

And United officials say they have little option other than to abide by that decision.

A Reds source said: "We thought we had a fair case and we wrote to the FA to ask for what we were entitled to. There is little else we can do."

M.E.N. Sport also understands that extra security measures are being considered ahead of the clash on the back of Citys continued emergence and the 6-1 thumping of United at Old Trafford in October.

The numbers of rows of empty seats between opposing fans is likely to be increased in a bid to prevent flashpoints inside the ground.

Police wi! ll be wa ry after problems when the pair met in the Carling Cup semi final in 2010. Officers confiscated darts and golf balls from Uniteds travelling support at a highly-charged first leg and 18 arrests were made.

Despite claims to the contrary by the Metropolitan Police, trouble reared its ugly head again in and around Wembley at Mays FA Cup semi-final.

A total of 34 arrests were made but a number of violent confrontations took place before and after the match with the force criticised for a lack of control and numbers.

No such problems were reported at Augusts Charity Shield with police in the capital saying they hard learned from the previous encounter.

United are exempt from handing out 15 per cent allocations to away fans at Old Trafford for cup matches due to its bigger capacity.

They usually hand over 8,500 tickets to visitors, which is what City could expect in the event of a replay.

A City spokesman said there would be no comment ahead of the FAs decision. The FA also declined to comment.

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