United's surprise 1-0 defeat by League One Leeds United in the FA Cup on Sunday left Alex Ferguson fuming and the manager will expect a backlash from his team against a City side yet to concede a goal under new manager Roberto Mancini.
Cash-rich City's priority is to break into the top four of the Premier League but with the scent of a first trophy since 1976 in their nostrils and the chance to inflict further pain on United, Wednesday's tie promises to be a full-bloodied affair.
"The fans are excited and so are the players," City keeper Shay Given told the club's website. "These should be two red-hot encounters."
United's defeat by Leeds was their first at home to third-tier opponents in the FA Cup for almost 80 years and was all the more galling for the fans as it was against a club with whom they have a bitter rivalry.
Ferguson, who had never tasted an FA Cup third-round defeat in more than 20 years at United, said he was "shocked and disappointed" by Sunday's result.
"We'll make sure we're ready for Wednesday now," Ferguson said. "We had a team in mind but there will maybe be a few changes ... we have to get this result out of our system as quickly as possible."
An outlay approaching 200 million pounds since the club was bought by Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has given the long-suffering fans genuine optimism they can, at long last, emerge from United's shadow.
Wins against Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers left City fifth in the league before Saturday's 1-0 FA Cup triumph at Middlesbrough.
"We made a good start in the FA Cup at the weekend and we are close to a final in the League Cup," Given said.
"We have only lost twice all season so we are doing OK. One of those was against United and I have to admit it took a long while to get over that result."
Tuesday's semi-final between Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa at Ewood Park will be the second meeting of the sides in three days after Villa knocked Rovers out of the FA Cup on Saturday.
