IT was the end of the swinging sixties and all eyes were focused on Manchester.

The city that was home to the champions of Europe and the champions of England became the unofficial power base of football.

And more than 40 years on, there is genuine anticipation that it will once again dominate the sport for the first time since those heady days of 1968.

United have made a decent fist of dominating both home and abroad since the inception of the Premier League in 92.

But thanks to the mind-boggling millions that Sheikh Mansour has poured into Eastlands, City now look ready to challenge for a place at the top table.

The signings of Carlos Tevez, Emanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure have made Mark Hughes' side the name on everyone's lips in Europe.

Only Real Madrid's latest Galactico drive - signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema - has stopped City from completely dominating the back pages.

But they will hope they can turn media interest into genuine success on the pitch and rival the red half of Manchester when the trophies are handed out at the end of the season.

Much will depend on how quickly Hughes can weld his expensive squad together.

Can he find the right formula up front with Adebayor, Tevez, Santa Cruz, Robinho and Craig Bellamy all vying for a place in his strongest XI?

And can he cope with the weight of expectation that comes with City's newfound riches?

Irked

One thing for certain is that the challenge from the blue side of Manchester has already irked Sir Alex Ferguson.

And supporters of both clubs are rubbing their hands in anticipation of the first derby of the season on September 20.

So, too, are the players who were around the last time both United and City tussled it out at the summit of English football.

Alex Stepney, United's European Cup-winning goalkeeper in 68, is sceptical about whether City can truly stop Ferguson's men from winning a fourth successive title.

"I agree with our manager," he said. "It is not just about having great players - it is about keeping them all happy, which could be hard to do if you've got eight forwards.

"If you look over the years since the Premier League started, only two clubs have managed to buy the title - Blackburn and Chelsea.

"United and Arsenal have been stalwarts, sticking with the same manager and building success."

There are virtually no similarities between City's title-winning class of 68 and their latest incarnation.

Back then the likes of Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee and Colin Bell saw them usurp United as English champions - though Sir Matt Busby would get the last laugh, overshadowing his neighbours by clinching the European Cup at Wembley.

Wealth

City fielded the same side in 18 of their 42 games that season, while Hughes' wealth of options will see him struggle to name the same squad for two games in succession.

His transfer business this summer has immediately raised expectations that City can win a first title since 68, but Stepney remembers watching as they burst onto the scene in a very different fashion.

"They came from nowhere," he said. "When I joined United in 66, City had only just come up to the first division with Joe Mercer and they were to go on to set the town alight.

"He made a fantastic team to push United and nowhere else other than Manchester were there two teams who could take on all comers and win.

"We won the title in 67 and then the European Cup. City won the title in 68 and a couple of years later won the Cup- Winners' Cup. It was an unbelievable time."

Having seen so many false dawns at City in the past, Summerbee is convinced that it will be different this time around.

"In the 60s it was a great time for our club and we were very successful," he said. "We also had a lot of success against United at Maine Road and Old Trafford.

"But Manchester had two great teams full of internationals and a thriving pop and club scene.

"This is the start of something new for City. It is a chance for us to go on and start winning trophies."

Charisma

City title-winner Glyn Pardoe said he never gave up hope of Manchester once again becoming the focus of English football.

"I always thought City could come back into it and with all the money they have now, they have a better chance than ever."

Not only were the Manchester clubs the dominant sides on the pitch - but in the likes of George Best and Summerbee they had two of the highest profile personalities off it.

Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in an £80m deal, neither side has a player to rival Best's charisma, but both have squads filled with some of the biggest names in the game.

While Tevez and Robinho are City's star turns, United have Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs.

United legend David Sadler believes the rivalry between the sides is totally different nowadays because both teams are filled with so many foreign stars.

"City had a lot of home grown players and at United we had a lot of British players. It was that local element that really added to the intensity.

"When local pride is at stake it makes a big difference. My baptism into professional came in my first derby, when the ball hardly seemed a requirement for the match."

And Sadler, who has watched Ronaldo and Tevez exit Old Trafford this summer, still believes United will have the edge.

He is confident the arrivals of Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan will keep Fergie's side ahead of the chasing pack.

"We might have lost the best player in the world, but I believe the squad is as strong as anyone else's," he said. "Mark Hughes has bought very well, but who can tell how long it will take for the team to come together?"

United's 68 European Cup-winners: Stepney, Brennan, Foulkes, Sadler, Dunne, Crerand, Charlton, Stiles, Best, Kidd, Aston
City's 68 title-winners: Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman


Tell us your memories of '68