‘We’ll all Mani up to make sure we’re serious cup threat’
MANI DIESERUVWE is desperate to help Salford City pull off a huge cup shock against hometown club Leeds United.
EFL debutants City – co-owned by former Manchester United Class of 92 legends – host the Whites in a mouthwatering Carabao Cup first-round clash on Tuesday night.
City’s owners, including David Beckham (below), Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville, endured plenty of encounters with the Elland Road club during their playing days.
There were run-ins and dust-ups between the teams in years gone by and there is certainly no love lost between the Red Rose and White Rose clubs.
A full house is expected at City’s modest Moor Lane for the televised clash and Dieseruvwe is anticipating a famous night for the League Two newcomers.
“It’s going to be a very tasty match,” admitted Dieseruvwe, who grew up in West Yorkshire. “I’m definitely looking forward to it. “I was born in Leeds and have spent most of my life there.
“I’ve got a couple of mates that support Leeds, so it’ll be nice to play against them and have a catch-up with them afterwards.
“But we’ve got nothing to lose, we’ll be looking to cause a shock.”
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have come a cropper in cup ties in recent years, losing to Newport and Sutton, and will be on their guard to avoid another banana skin as they cross the Pennines for the clash.
Dieseruvwe, who is finally looking to make his mark in the league after failing to make the grade at Sheffield Wednesday and Chesterfield, says that the team spirit at City will help them when they come up against their heavily fancied opponents.
Despite the high-profile owners at the club, ambitious manager Graham Alexander has yet to spend a penny on transfer fees this summer.
Much of the squad, which got the Ammies up, has stayed put, with a few canny additions chucked in.
And Dieseruvwe says the together togetherness, coupled with the new b boys, means they can be a ma match for anyone.
“We train hard and work o off each other,” added the 24-year-old.
“It’s good to keep the squad tight, but we’ve s strengthened it slightly, to too.
“The players brought in have increased the quality, but they ha have also increased the competition.
“That keeps everyone in the squad hungry.
“You only have to look at someone like Richie Towell, who’s come in.
“He’s got such good vision and ability to see the runs up top from strikers.
“I think he will be a massive player for us this season and will help us get to where we want to be.
“We all focus on our jobs and take each game differently and approach them differently.
“We need to rise to each occasion and see where that takes us.”