How Fergie killed City's delusions

Normal business resumed ... Manchester United have the bragging rights again. Source: Dave Thompson / AP

"Will there ever be a time when City come into the derby as favourites?"

This was the question put to Sir Alex Ferguson in 2009. The Manchester United manager sat still for what seemed an eternity, asked what time it was, got up, and then as he started to leave the room he answered: "not in my lifetime."

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Man United	30	25	2	3	39	77
2	Man City	30	18	8	4	29	62
3	Chelsea	31	17	7	7	28	58
4	Tottenham	32	17	7	8	15	58
5	Arsenal	31	16	8	7	27	56
6	Everton	31	13	13	5	12	52
7	Liverpool	32	13	10	9	19	49
8	West Brom	32	13	5	14	-1	44
9	Swansea	32	10	11	11	1	41
10	Fulham	31	10	9	12	-4	39
11	Southampton	32	9	10	13	-7	37
12	West Ham	31	10	7	14	-9	37
13	Newcastle	32	10	6	16	-14	36
14	Norwich	32	7	14	11	-19	35
15	Stoke	32	7	13	12	-11	34
16	Aston Villa	32	8	9	15	-24	33
17	Sunderland	32	7	10	15	-11	31
18	Wigan	31	8	7	16	-20	31
19	QPR	32	4	12	16	-23	24
20	Reading	32	5	8	19	-27	23

The same question was not put to him after the derby on the 23rd of October 2011. If it had, it would have been likely to get a very different response after City ran riot, winning 6-1 at Old Trafford. The balance of power seemed to have shifted. The club Ferguson described as ‘the noisy neighbours,” now had substance to go with their considerable financial muscle. 

He had endured derby hurt before. In 1989, City had beaten United 5-1 in a loss Ferguson described at the time as his "most embarrassing defeat," but the 2011 loss felt different. Not only was it a humiliation, but it handed City a five-point lead in the title race, confirming their place as United’s biggest rival for silverware. 

The battle was resumed at the end of last season. The derby took on extra significance - this time it would decide the title, and for perhaps the first time in recent memory, City were favourites. When Vincent Kompany rose to head City into the lead the title became theirs to lose.  Despite the famous last day rescue, they prevailed as champions. 

"I think next year will be more and I hope City will become a great club in the world," Yaya Toure said after their league triumph and most agreed, believing it was the start of City’s dominance of the Premier League. 

Fast forward almost 12 months and these assumptions have been proved wrong. The status quo has been re-established and the red half of Manchester is eyeing the title and already has one derby win the bank this season. 

It seems that while City were celebrating, Ferguson was far from yielding to their superior financial might. 

"We accept challenges. We are good at that," the Scot said after City were crowned champions. 

When Robin van Persie was signed from Arsenal in the off-season it served to signal his intent - he wanted the title back.

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The impact the Dutchman has made has been huge, so much so that Roberto Mancini has said he has been the difference between the two sides. With United 15 points ahead of City going into Tuesday morning’s match it seems considerable praise and is perhaps unjust on the rest of the Red Devils squad. But his 19 league goals have played a significant role in their march to the title. 

His signing was a move to ensure that last season’s loss of the title on goal difference would never occur again - in effect City’s firepower would not overwhelm United for the second straight year. It also had the added bonus of inflicting a blow on City before a ball was kicked, after they had spent the transfer window trying to beat their Manchester rivals to the Arsenal captain’s signature. 

While United went about answering the challenge, City gave the impression of a club that assumed the battle for supremacy had been won. None of Mancini’s top transfer targets were acquired in the post-season, leaving the Italian to constantly bemoan his lack of squad depth. Whilst the huge spending that Mancini has undertaken makes his claim that City lack depth amusing, it does have some merit. 

The injury to captain Kompany at the turn of the year proved it. When the Belgian was forced off with a calf tear against Stoke City in January, the gap between City and United was just five points. When he returned at the weekend it was 18. 

But whilst the injuries have exposed gaps in the City squad, Mancini’s constant statements regarding the club’s inability to add the players he wanted in the transfer window has been just as damaging. Rather than looking to get the best out of the considerable talents he has at his disposal, he has focused on what he doesn’t have, which is unlikely to be means of coaxing good performances from his players. 

However, this appears to be his modus operandi and he seems to be of the belief that conflict and turmoil are necessary parts of a successful squad. Last season it proved to be the case but the players appear to be burned out by it. 

"I do not see the same spirit and togetherness in the City squad as United," former Liverpool defender turned match-of-the-day analyst Alan Hansen said of City’s faltering title defence. 

When City won the title Gary Neville said the test of City would be whether they could maintain their superiority without unlimited investment. This season the answer has proved to be no but the derby does give them a chance to remind Ferguson of the threat they will pose into the future. 

As Kompany has said during the week: “the end of one season has an impact on how you start the next one."

Ferguson will be desperate to ensure that City start from a low ebb.

Follow me on Twitter @beaubusch

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