Former City boy Quinn can’t hide his delight at United’s plight

FOR six years Niall Quinn was on the receiving end when Manchester City played a poor second fiddle to the Manchester United orchestra.

It’s why he finds it hard to offer tea and sympathy to United in their plight, and why he was buzzing at City’s display in the League Cup semi-final at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. ‘That’s the highest (level) they have gone to this season and perhaps even higher than in other seasons when they won the title,’ said Quinn at the Virgin Media spring launch.

‘I watched that first half and I thought back to all those years we went to Old Trafford. I wouldn’t say we were frightened but we’d know we were going to be in for it and had to be at it. City went and did that to United.

‘I know United are not the great team that they once were, but for the away team to go there, it could have been seven at half-time. It was men against boys.’

Quinn (right) likens United to a ship that has run aground in shallow water and is unable to get going again.

‘It’s one step forward, two back. There’s a level of ability in the dressing room that’s not up with the better ones. If you match them to Liverpool and Man City squads, and one or two below that, and you think who’d you have if you’re picking a composite team? I wouldn’t even have (David) De Gea in it this year.

‘That’s where they are. It’s a big task and it’s not always a cheque book that does it.

‘As somebody who sat and suffered and who watched them from a low point in Man City’s fortunes from my time, I wouldn’t be too sorry for them.’ Quinn, below, played 193 times for City, scoring 64 goals between 1990 and 1996 and is aware of the value which City fans place on Premier League success. ‘I speak to Manchester City fans all the time and they still say three league wins in a row makes them bigger and better than Manchester United.’ Closing that gap on Liverpool is a 66/1 shot and Quinn suspects that City’s focus will switch to the Champions League come March, adding: ‘It’s the one (trophy) that’s not on the CV.’

As for the title, that race is already run reckons Quinn. ‘You have to hand it to Liverpool. They are playing the game at a pace and with a skill level that we’ve never seen before.

‘They might get jittery, who knows. It would be good for Liverpool to win a title but I will only feel justified saying that if City win the Champions League. I tipped Real Madrid to come good this year and now they’re playing City (in the last 16) so I hope they don’t win... but if you’re going to win it, you’ve got to beat them all.’