Plans in place to police the derby match

Football fans in Manchester are set for an exciting night of football with the arrival of the much-anticipated Manchester derby this Monday.

Plans are in place to police the derby match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Ethiad stadium, Eastlands, which will kick off at 8pm.

Chief Superintendent John O’Hare said: “The derby match always creates a fantastic atmosphere and many thousands of fans will be out to enjoy what is a great occasion in the football calendar.

“As so much rests on this game, emotions will be running high and our main aim is to ensure the game is a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans.

"Greater Manchester Police is very experienced at policing football matches. We will have the appropriate number of officers and resources within the ground and the surrounding areas to both deal with any incidents and offer reassurance to the public.

“The rivalry between the clubs really adds something extra to this fixture and should be embraced, but we must also ensure that this is not used as an excuse by some individuals to become involved in disorder.

"We want fans to enjoy themselves, but at the same time, we want to make it clear to the minority who may be thinking of causing any trouble that we will clamp down hard on them. We want people to take responsibility for themselves and drink responsibly.

“We want to ensure that the city of Manchester, both of its clubs and its fans are remembered for the right reasons. We should celebrate the fact that the Premier League is coming to Manchester.”

There will be additional police patrols in place in the city centre and around the ground and officers will be visiting pubs where the match is being shown live on TV.

Anyone caught with alcohol on the streets within the alcohol exclusion zone, stretching from the city centre to the stadium, will have it confiscated. In addition, anyone arriving at the stadium under the influence of excess alcohol will be refused entry.

Chief Superintendent John O’Hare continued: “Both Manchester United and Manchester City are supportive of the fact that anyone who is arrested in connection with causing trouble at the derby, runs the risk of being banned from entering their respective clubs again in the future.

“The game will also be televised so we take this opportunity to remind anyone watching at home that we are well aware that competitive tension and increased alcohol consumption can sometimes provoke abuse and violence at home.

"There will be extra officers on duty to support victims of domestic abuse. We encourage anyone who is a victim to contact us as full support and valuable help is available to those in need from both GMP and our partner agencies.”

Anyone affected by domestic abuse can call The Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0161 636 7525 or go to: www.endthefear.co.uk.

If you want to get help to stop your abusive behaviour call the Respect Helpline on 0800 802 4040.