But the Manchester derby is ascendant and the eyes of the football world will turn on the city for the first league derby of the season on October 23.
FourFourTwo magazine have United and City on the cover for the first time. The magazine has spoken to several players from both clubs for their new edition, which comes out tomorrow, and all are aware of the importance of the derby.
“All derbies are a difficult proposition, because it is a battle for the city,” said Sergio Aguero. “If you win, you win the city. Almost as soon as you are out of the ground, on the streets, you see a United fan and they remind you.
“It is a game the fans feel more than any other, and you must win so they can go out in the streets without being taunted. You cannot win all the time, of course, but losing is difficult.
“It is the same in Argentina, where I played in the derbies between Independiente and Racing. That’s a spicy one. It is the same here, but the fans behave differently.”
Aguero was on the winning side in all three Avellaneda derbies in Buenos Aires.
“I played Racing three times and won three times,” he said. “Hopefully here it will be the same! The best goal I ever scored was against Racing – and because it was in a derby, of course it meant more. If I could score a goal like that against United it would be beautiful.”
Asked whether finishing above United will win a league title, City manager Roberto Mancini said: “I think so, for sure! United began winning many years ago and they have a winning mentality so it is not easy to match them and be on their level so quickly. They’re one of the best teams in the world, but we have a good team as well.”
Several of the United and City players know each other well.
“I know Micah [Richards] best from England’s under-21s and I’ve been with England alongside Lescott, Johnson, Barry and Joe Hart,” said Tom Cleverley.
“There’s a lot of United and City players with England and the Community Shield got brought up. They were saying that we didn’t batter them, whereas we explained quite clearly that we did. It was a great game, really exciting, and I’m sure it will be the same again when we play them in the league.”
Asked if it’s a good thing for the City and United that your closest rivals are now your nearest neighbours, Cleverley added: “It’s good for Manchester and the Manchester derby, which was one-sided for a long time. City have made good signings and they’re playing well. There will be a bigger than normal build-up around the derby. City are rivals, but you can’t count Chelsea out either.”
United captain Nemanja Vidic added: “It is maybe going to be one of the most important games for us in the next few years. There is more pressure when you play against them now. Derbies are about the fans: it is them who have to go into work tomorrow and see the other fans, and it is them who get texts straight after the game, with a joke about United players or City players.”
And new signing Ashley Young is already realising what the derby is all about.
Within a few weeks of being around the city I got to feel the rivalry,” he said. “You get to feel it around the training ground, from the staff and the players too. City have started really well this season and, I’m looking forward to playing them. Having been involved in Villa v Blues, I know they are fiery games.”
Asked if United have a point to prove because City have spent millions, Young added: “I think they’re the ones who have a point to prove. We are the champions, we won the Community Shield, we have the history.
“It’s them who want to get one over on us but the red side of Manchester is still the biggest! The Manchester clubs have started on fire, which is why the spotlight is on us, but it’s too early to be speaking about titles.”
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Just another game, just another 3 points. I really do not know what all the fuss is about When we win the league, it will be because we win games and this one is no different.
Come on City!
Great noisy neighbour photo!
Silly me and I thought our next game was against Villa !!!
Well manutd are barca and city are madrid. we blood youth were as City buy a team a season . so much was expected of madrid last season and we seen what happened to them. I think we will rasie to the chalenge city will lay before us.
in all fairness and honesty City have a class squad with a few champions league winners and the experince of success at league level. they are there know and will not go away for a long time.
on the other hand we are manchester united and we do what we want we won the leauge with an unbalanced injury hit squad last season and we will do it again this.
WE have giggs and he will rip them apart again.
So everyone in the WORLD is waiting for this day! eh? only bitters do think that MANCHESTER UNITED are only supported by thoose who live in UK! 33,000000 DO YOU THINK THEY ALL LIVE IN MANCHESTER? BTW how many supporters do bitters have WORLDWIDE?
just like the three points you got last season
Well, no need to get hold of FourFourTwo magazine now is there; cos Mitten, the lazy so n so has stolen all the quotes!!!
Why not do a bit of research yourself, you lazy rag!!
Why have we got a picture of RM shouting & Baconface smiling & applauding like your kind goodnatured grandad!!!
This whole article belongs on the dark side, not on here!
As 'CityLady' so rightly says, 3 points hopefully & move on to the next game! We've got to try & win them all!!
Deary me, I know it's quiet on international week, but this is very VERY poor, MUEN!
If Mitten wants a useful job, try getting hold of a decent picture of Samir Nasri, in a City shirt for the Ratings Page!!
CTID
“I think they’re the ones who have a point to prove. We are the champions, we won the Community Shield, we have the history.
It’s them who want to get one over on us but the red side of Manchester is still the biggest!
United have a Champions League trip to Romania in the week before the game that they have to win now, so they wont be able to rest as many players as they might have done. Beating them at their place would be a major statement of intent. I think Rob Jones is their weak point. He constantly tries to bring the ball out of defence & they seem unsure how to cover him.
Biggest, history, red-side of Manchester, blah, blah, blah. Rag mantra and cliche overload! A minute of my life lost reading that garbage.
The United game has alway been City's cup-final.
It still is.
Uniteds main rival is Liverpool.
The game we most eagerly want to win is against Barcelona.
The City game is growing. It needs to grow for many years to overcome the game against the dippers. Time will tell if City is still here at the top in 20 years.
The game isn't for 3 weeks MEN, but you are building up the hype already. The truth is the pressure will be on United because they are at home, but win lose or draw it won't make or break the season for either team.
Got my ticket yesterday but feeling sick already just at the thought of this game. I hate going to the swamp at the best of times but this game is going to be humongous.
Once again City will be impeccable, both on the pitch as well as in the stands but don't be suprised if once again a biased referee and a dodgy goal in the 98th minute is our underdoing.
Hopefully though, this time, as in April, our superior squad will just be too strong for Fergie, his pointless mind games and his bunch of over rated under achievers.
I just hope the rags show a bit more grace in defeat this time.
My first derby memory was around April 1968 when City beat Utd 3 1 at Old Trafford.
Those were magical days with Bell.Buzzer, Lee and Young on fire. That night was special and the atmosphere electric ! Lets hope we can do it again in 3 weeks !!!!!
Ashley Young seems to have summed up the mood of the moment perfectly. It's up to little old City to prove they are more than noisy neighbours and that Manchester's richest and best supported club should have a bigger trophy haul than Huddersfield Town if it wants to be taken seriously.
"We are the champions, we have the history"
What Young has failed to add is that the 'we' he refers to does not include him. Ashley your history consists of the following:
1. Football League Championship play-offs (2006)
2. FA Community Shield (2011)
Such a rich and successful history.
What does ashley bleedin young know about manchester ? 'we' are the champions ? 'you' were a mid table villa player if i recall when the trophies were given out....and if cleverly thinks it has been one-sided til recently then he needs to check his facts. sure up til the last 10 years united always had the upper hand in derbies and i can recall the 5-0 beatings with kanchelskis and co but there have been quite a few 3 and 4 goal wins for city at home of late (inc ronaldo playing). oh well lets not let some 'clever' muppet comment get in the way of facts.
"we have the history" said the stellar signing of 3 months ago. Pretty clear from his comments he was given the arrogant injection during his medical
I think they’re the ones who have a point to prove. We are the champions, we won the Community Shield, we have the history
Looks like AY just slapped the Abu's down
Let the banter begin!! CTID!!!
I see Ashley Young is making the usual noises to win over the home fans. He'll be kissing the badge next. That "history" line comes in to play again. You would think that City was formed last week, not in the nineteenth century...and before United ever existed.
I love the way Ashley Young goes on about history,that why you left Villa Ashley?To get a history lesson?
CTID
Well said Ashley Young!!
" They were saying that we didn't batter them, whereas we explained quite clearly that we did " !!!! Quality from young Tom and only telling the truth. Good lad........L.U.H.C........
Its sure going to be the toughest match of the season. The winner of the encounter will surely be in the driving seat to win the trophy... Manchester united rules