Some believe, Sir Alex Ferguson included, that the Liverpool v Manchester United derby is the biggest in football - bigger even than El Classico, that heavyweight clash between the two Spanish greats Real Madrid and Barcelona. Whilst Ferguson may once have been correct in his assertion, it now seems that the Manchester derby has resurrected itself into contention at least. The drab spectacle that was the recent match between Liverpool and United did little to support the Manchester United manager's claims.
The continued rise of Manchester City as pretenders to the English crown and their blistering start to the Premier League means this weekend's (Sunday 23 October) Manchester derby is set to be one of the juiciest ever. Since Sheikh Mansour plighted his multimillion pound troth to the Eastlands club in 2008, the fires under an already fractious neighbourly dispute have been increasingly fanned and stoked, producing some truly wonderful encounters.
A Recent History
In the first season under new ownership there was little marked improvement for City who finished tenth overall and forty points behind United in the Premier League, losing both derbies. Defeat for City has been a continued theme of the derby, even of late, but the manner of their downfalls has become far less resounding and perhaps less deserving too.
The first real cracker came in the dawn of the 2009-10 season, with United taking the spoils in a 4-3 thriller at Old Trafford. The hosts went ahead three times only for City to equalise within minutes each time, and Craig Bellamy's 90th minute leveller appeared to have sealed the tie into stalemate. Cometh stoppage time cometh the man, and Michael Owen came forward to slip the ball past Shay Given in the fifth added minute.
Later in the season the two sides met again in the semi-final of the League Cup, a competition usually used by Ferguson to bed in young talent. In the event he pulled out all the stops to ensure that City's 34-year wait for silverware would continue. The blue team won the first leg, 2-1 at home, but in the return match Wayne Rooney, on the form of his life, was just too much for the City defence and the game ended 3-1 in United's favour. A further 1-0 home defeat for City saw United complete a Premier League double over their local rivals.
That season was particularly notable for the Carlos Tevez 'Welcome to Manchester' feud and Manchester City's continued rapid progress in climbing to fifth in the overall standings. It heralded, however, ultimate disappointment for both Manchester clubs, with City just losing out to Tottenham on the coveted fourth Champions League place and United being pipped to the title by a resurgent Chelsea, who took the League and Cup double.
Such misfortune ensured that both teams returned to the new season with a point to prove, not least against each other. The first encounter was a rather tame affair, bereft as it was of an injured and subdued Rooney, but he returned the following February in fine style to deliver a stunning blow to City in the shape of a lustrous overhead kick into Joe Hart's top corner.
The Tide Turns...
United's supremacy in Manchester seemed intact, but City had other ideas, and in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final they dumped United out at Wembley, going on to secure their first trophy in 35 years. The United faithful were not singing any more and the gloating banner hanging from the Stretford End at Old Trafford was rendered inconsequential.
In the Premier League City beat Arsenal to third place and added a first Champions League place to their booty, whilst United returned to the top spot and surpassed Liverpool's haul of 18 titles, only to be acutely humbled by Barcelona in the Champions League Final. With Manchester basking in unparalleled domestic dominance, the 2011/12 season was set to kick off with a Manchester derby in the Community Shield.
... And Goes out Again
City looked set to build on their progress with a two goal lead in the first half, but having won the Premier League with a comparatively mediocre side, Ferguson had been wise enough not to sit on his laurels all summer, shepherding out the old and beckoning in the new. Fledglings Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling, and new signing Ashley Young began the match, and were joined at half time by starlets Tom Cleverley and Phil Jones.
The impact of Ferguson's substitutions was immediate, with United soon drawing level and eventually taking the lead in the 94th minute. As a result youth dominated the menu for United's opening matches, as the new look team mauled Tottenham, Arsenal, and Bolton.
City were far from disheartened, however, matching United's unbeaten record and high goal count all the way. As it stands, they are now two points clear of United going into this weekend's game and look to be in the better form.
That being said United have faced four out of the five supposed big teams, whereas City have only played Tottenham. In that game they were not found wanting and smashed the London team 5-1 at White Hart Lane. True to form Ferguson has been quick to disparage the status of City, affirming after last week's Liverpool game that United had now played all of the big teams.
Whatever mind games the United manager may choose to employ, there is no getting away from the fact that Sunday's derby is set to be the biggest game of the season so far. It will not decide the outcome of the title, but will provide some valauble clues. City will surge five points clear if victorious, and in their current imperious form they could well do just that.
In United's favour is their fixture list from now until Christmas, which boasts teams that presently languish in the bottom half of the table. City on the other hand are yet to play Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea, and that last fixture will be especially telling in how far they have come. United also possess a far greater wealth of experience in big games, and although their team is young the winning ethos of Old Trafford will surely have instilled a "faint heart ne'er won" attitude into their bones.
Champions League Lift Off
The scenes of Roberto Mancini punching the air in relief presented a moving sight on Tuesday (18 October) as Manchester City clocked their first ever Champions League win against a resilient Villarreal. The victory saved them from a miserable start to their campaign which, had they lost, would surely have been all but over before it had halfway begun.
United also made steps in Group C through two penalties from Rooney. A win is a win, as Ferguson and United fans know, but they'd have preferred to witness a more comprehensive result. As it is, United will face City on Sunday after a string of lacklustre games, whereas City were anything but dubious in beating Aston Villa.
Romantic Reality
Derby day in any city will forever draw forth eulogies drawn in nostalgic sepia, but, as the last few occasions show, the Manchester derby consistently offers up much in the way of talking points. In the light of the last two seasons, it seems ludicrous for Ferguson to discard Manchester City so blithely as was once justified, and in his heart a tremor of apprehension must surely lurk. It could well be that Sunday's game will stitch his fears firmly onto his well-cut sleeve.
Ralph Connolly - Ralph Connolly is a graduate in English and former milkman. He spends much of his time reading all kinds of detective fiction for it's a ...
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