Manchester City have been drawn at home against Manchester United in an FA Cup third-round tie between the Premier League's leading two clubs which will increase Roberto Mancini's concerns about a fixture pile-up in January.
City will have to play five games in the opening two weeks of next month, and potentially eight games overall, including three matches against Liverpool in as many weeks, one in the league followed by a two-legged Carling Cup semi-final. If City beat United, they will then begin a run of four games in 10 days later in the month, starting against third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Mancini believes this will be the period that determines whether City, five points clear at the top of the league and facing Chelsea and Arsenal in their next two games, will go on to win the title for the first time since 1968.
However, he is also acutely aware that Yaya and Kolo Touré could be missing for potentially five weeks because of the African Cup of Nations, which runs from 21 January to 12 February. The Ivory Coast are likely to want both players for a two-week preparation period, and it may be that City ask for special dispensation so they can figure in the United tie, which will take place on 7 or 8 January.
"We are losing Yaya and Kolo and I think we will have a problem," Mancini said. "I hope that we are lucky [injury-wise] with the players but, if not, we could have a serious problem because we are going to be playing three times each week. January is going to be very tough."Greater Manchester Police will arrange one of their biggest security operations for the match and are likely to request the tie is scheduled for an earlier kick-off than ITV, who have the first pick on FA Cup matches, would ideally like.
While one of the Manchester rivals face elimination, the draw was kind for the Premier League's other leading clubs and, in a lucrative sense, equally so for some of their opponents from outside the top division.
Chelsea will host financially troubled Portsmouth while non-league Tamworth will go to Everton and Cheltenham have a trip to Tottenham. Liverpool will play Southend or Oldham and Arsenal also have home advantage against Leeds United.
