Neville: Our debt to the Babes

For players and fans alike Sunday's match against Manchester City will be a hugely poignant occasion.

Reds' skipper Gary Neville will have to be content with a place in the stands because of injury, but he remains confident his team-mates will produce a performance the late Busby Babes would be proud of and one that ultimately leads to victory.

"Like any game we play at Old Trafford it’s important we win, but this one is particularly significant," he told Sunday's edition of United Review.

"As a group of players we wouldn’t want to come away from this game with anything other than a victory and hopefully a fantastic performance as well.

"As a United player you’re always reminded of the club’s history. We’ve, therefore, got to mark this occasion in the best way possible because we owe the lads that died an awful lot."

While Neville admits the day will be highly charged with emotion, the defender insists the players are more than capable of keeping their feelings in check and focusing on matters on the pitch.

"As players we’re always under pressure at this club. We’ve just got to go out there and do our job," he declared. "City will try and play on the fact that we might be distracted, but we know that won’t be the case.

"We’ll be really up for it, it’s a game that any footballer would want to play in and the atmosphere will be unbelievable. We’ve just got to make sure we go out there and do it, simple as that."