**The Football Association will speak to both Manchester clubs before the second leg of their Carling Cup semi-final in an attempt to defuse possible tensions.**The fierce rivalry has taken on a new dimension as City’s owners spend large sums to help the club join the elite.
The lure of a place at Wembley and the presence of ex-United striker Carlos Tevez also add some spice to the match.
Cameras appeared to catch United’s Gary Neville making an obscene gesture when Tevez scored in City’s first-leg win.
Before the match, Neville had said United were right to let Tevez leave in the summer, rather than signing him on a permanent deal after his two-year loan spell ended.
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“Please explain why Tevez is so angry”
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Tevez went on to join City on a five-year deal, with accusations flying back and forth between the player and United over the circumstances of his Old Trafford exit.
The 25-year-old celebrated his second goal in City’s 2-1 victory in the first leg at Eastlands with the same cupped-ear gesture towards the United management that he made when trying to earn a full-time contract at Old Trafford, and admitted he had enjoyed celebrating in front of his former team-mate.
“I thought Gary Neville had been disrespectful by talking about me like that,” Tevez told the Daily Mail.
"He cannot possibly know the full story of what happened at Old Trafford. I was honourable at all times and I think it was wrong of him to talk about another footballer in that way.
“For me, to celebrate in front of him was not malicious. It was just banter. That is what the game is all about. I didn’t see if he did anything back.”
Neville looks likely to escape punishment for the Tevez incident, as it would be difficult for the FA to prove his gesture was particularly aimed at the Argentina international, but he has been warned over his behaviour before.
Last September, the England defender, 34, was cautioned about his future conduct following United’s dramatic 4-3 win over City when he ran towards City fans to celebrate Michael Owen’s injury-time winner at Old Trafford.
And in 2006 he was fined £5,000 and again warned over his future conduct after celebrating in front of Liverpool’s fans after United secured a late winner over their other main rivals.