Police riot gear for derby

A police source told the Manchester Evening News that all officers policing the clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday will don the full protective gear.

Some 5,700 United fans officially have tickets for the match. Pubs around the stadium will be closed before the game, and fans will be limited to buying two drinks each once they are inside the ground.

But despite those precautions, and the 1pm kick-off time, police are taking no chances with their protective clothing as the two sides prepare to play for the first time since City's 6-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford in October.

The decision was taken following the crowd violence during the last derby clash at the stadium in April 2010, when one policeman was left partially-sighted after being struck by an object hurled by a City fan.

Daniel Watts, a 23-year-old City fan, was convicted of affray for his part in the incident last November, and handed a three-month suspended sentence, 100 hours of community service and a four-year ban from football.

"We want to make it a great football occasion that decent fans of both clubs can get to safely and get away safely," a police spokesman told the paper.

"All officers in and around the ground will don riot gear for the first time.

"This is a response to last year when an officer suffered a serious eye injury when he was hit by a missile."