The biggest Manchester derby ever?

The last time I glanced at the Premier league table after the end of Gameweek 8 of the Barclays Premier League there was a blue team at the summit and no it wasn’t Chelsea anymore. And then I realized why it was so important for Manchester United to get all 3 points at Anfield, not because of a burning desire of always beating Liverpool but something much more farsighted…the Premier League summit, because at the end of the season as Sir Alex Ferguson says, ‘It doesn’t matter if you manage to get one over your closest rivals, as long as you end up with the silverware in the long run’. So in 25 years of Sir Alex led United vs City derbies, something has drastically changed…Manchester City leads the table going into the first league derby of 2011/12 season.

Will a Win against City mean much more than one against Liverpool now?

‘Noisy neighbours‘, the popular SAF term for the media to use whenever the question of City comes up doesn’t seem so noisy anymore. Not if simply from a neutral perspective you have observed the magical feet of David Silva, the exceptional goal-poaching ability of Edin Dzeko or simply react with amazement as Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero seems to go past defenses and almost 8 out of 10 times finds the net. And if you could forgive his brashness, then I would say Mario Balotelli has some talent too, what with the overhead kick against Villa in Game week 8 and adding to that a bit of Roberto Mancini’s tactics, if there are any, because it seems that he has an abundance of talent everywhere in doubles and triples and his formations are dictated by that. But in the end what we have seen so far suggest some musical notes in all the noise.

If talent like these can warm a bench…then you know how much City have.

During the 1960′s the champions in Manchester came from the blue half and in the 1970′s also they boasted some cracking teams. But it all fell apart after that and in the decades to follow, the red half grew in stature, power and brilliance overshadowing their neighbours. The Manchester Derby became a bit of a letdown after that, as opponents like Liverpool and Arsenal became more of a challenge and Chelsea after that.

Manchester United have been the most successful team of the Premier League era and an ironfisted dominance of the English game by Sir Alex Ferguson’s men only once or twice shaken by the Invicibles of Arsenal and the prudence of the Special One Mourinho, have added trophy after trophy to their cabinet while City’s has gathered dust for 34 years only to be wiped clean to place the F.A. Cup they won recently.

To United fans however, beating Manchester City and putting them in their place is always a special occasion and anyone who doesn’t agree with that should see the reaction of Man United fans and not to forget Gary Neville at Old Trafford in the game that United won 4-3 with a late goal from Michael Owen. United fans share a laugh when people visiting from other countries think of Old Trafford and they visit the Red Devils when they speak of Manchester.

The 4-3 win with Owen netting the late winner.

But Sheik Mansour’s endless coffers have brought City the big names, the exceptional stars of the game in the current scenerio apart from Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and of course Wayne Rooney. They have a squad now to challenge on all fronts and are doing so with a flourish of goals, at least that is the case in the Premier League. But have they finally managed to put the seeds of doubt in the minds of their more respected and champion neighbours?

There’s a realisation among Reds fans that City are the greatest threat to a hegemony which has seen four league titles in five years. Both Manchester clubs are now scouting and competing for the same players in the market and City’s financial strong arm tactics get them any player they want, well almost, though Reds would argue that Ferguson promotes more prospects from within the youth ranks and identifies emerging talents, which sadly can’t be said of City. They can’t really boast of any youth prospect amongst their heady group of stars. But then again, Sir Alex is someone Roberto Mancini can’t be compared with in terms of managerial excellence.

Ahead for now, but can Mancini out plot Sir Alex!

City have vastly improved and have finally got their Champions league win under the belt. Barring the Carlos Tevez fiasco, Mancini has a lot to look forward to if his players can keep their head, especially the mercurial italian starlet Balotelli. But Roberto and his sky blue boys would be wrong to underestimate Sir Alex and his youthful team, they have also come out this season all guns blazing, barring a few hiccups, but remains unbeaten.

“The last couple of years they [the derbies] have become more intense and there is more importance attached to them.

“On Sunday it’s top of the league and second-top, and it really builds up into a fantastic prospect for everyone. I am looking forward to that.”

- Said Sir Alex and I am sure, as are fans and neutrals alike all over the world, waiting for the Battle of Manchester to commence this Sunday, that the wily Old Scot has had the plot for Manchester City’s defeat chalked out in his diary even before he put out a surprising squad at Anfield.

United fans will remember this, City fans claim it was off his shin!

Whatever you fans or even I as a fan may believe, frankly that was a clean strike I saw it many times over. But expect a derby finally fulfilling the potential of a Milan like derby.