Man Utd head to the blue side of the city to face rivals Man City this Sunday knowing that Mark Hughes’ side did the double over them last season.

Zenit St Petersburg have responded to Andrei Arshavin’s threat to go on strike, by warning him that such a move would end his professional career.

Arshavin has made no secret of his desire to leave Zenit in the January transfer window and earlier this month he said: ”If they do not put a realistic price tag on me and let me go, I’ll stay at Zenit but only on paper. I do not want to play for them next year – and I won’t.”

However, Zenit have now hit back, with president Alexander Dyukov telling the Daily Mail: ”If Arshavin goes on strike it will be the end of his career in professional football. I don’t believe he’s going to do it.

”We can’t just let him go. We must receive proper compensation for him. It was his decision to extend his contract with us last year and he was richly rewarded for it.

”Naturally we are prepared to listen to offers for him, as we have been in the past. But, frankly, the summer’s offer from Tottenham was indecent.

”They suggested paying us by instalments for four years. That would be some kind of loan which was unacceptable to us.”

Coach Dick Advocaat said: “The speculation is not interesting. Arshavin will always have teams that will want him.

“The main question is whether they have the money to pay for his transfer.”

Man Utd head to the blue side of the city to face rivals Man City this Sunday knowing that Mark Hughes’ side did the double over them last season.

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