Tonight’s Carling Cup semi-final has more riding on it than most, as Manchester United worry over mounting debt problems whilst neighbours Man City are awash with cash.

Signing Tevez provoked anger from United manager Ferguson

A trip to Wembley for the winners, possible silverware (the first for some time for one of the clubs), but more importantly in thi sday and age – cash. Cold hard, cash from the revenue that a Wembley trip brings.

It is alleged that Manchester United owners, the Glazers, are said to be struggling to maintain their loan repayments, after plunging the Salford club heavily into debt when they acquired them.

Gambling on future revenues is a tricky business, as Leeds United found out. With refinancing made even more difficult in the current climate, supporters of the reds have been muttering over the club’s huge debt management problems.

Rivals City, couldn’t be more different.

Since the arrival of mega-millions at Eastlands, in the form of Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City have signed many top flight players including Arsenal stars Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure, along with pipping Chelsea to the signing of Brazilian wonder-kid Robinho.

They also angered red’s manager Alex Ferguson when they poached Carlos Tevez from United, before announcing his signing with huge bilboards across th ecity stating “Welcome to Manchester”. This an attack at the rivalry that Manchester City are the ONLY club that is truly from Manchester.

Only Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona can compete with United at present across the globe, which is the challenge that City must face.

The semi-final first leg tonight could be a starting point for City’s new manager Mancini, and the blues hope that this could propel the club to even greater riches (both on and off the pitch).

Tevez haunts Ferguson and Neville but City aren't in Wembley Cup Final yet