Our season’s turned into garbage, but we can still be the noisy neighbours
Pellegrini reminds resurgent United that wealthy City remain major force
FOR the last few years the self-styled biggest club in the world, Manchester United, have not even appeared the biggest club on their home patch. The ‘noisy neighbours’ of Manchester City have spent more and won more. And the Sir Alex Ferguson factor vanished from Old Trafford when he retired in 2013.
In fact, the last time United won a derby at home was in 2011 when Wayne Rooney’s late spectacular acrobatic goal earned them a 2-1 victory.
But there has been a sudden and surprising shift this season. United have forced their way above City in the Premier League table for the first time since November 2013, and should Louis van Gaal’s red-hot team beat their suddenly-fragile rivals this afternoon, they will move four points clear of the defending champions. For many, then, the natural balance of power will have been restored.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is no longer trying to hide the collapse of his side’s season, which has seen them slip to fourth and make an early exit from three cup competitions, including the coveted Champions League.
Having defended his side earlier following losses at Burnley and Crystal Palace, the Chilean has decided to be more candid ahead of the derby.
‘It has not been a good season, definitely not a good season,’ he said. ‘It was not so bad until the end of 2014, we were top of the table and still in the Champions League. But in the last three months, we have thrown it into the garbage, all that we did earlier. We are doing some things very badly, that’s why we must improve.’
Admitting there is a problem is always the first step to recovery but Pellegrini, who has won his last three games against United, appears a little less sure about how to fix it.
His players have been derided as an ageing squad. Ten of them are 29 or over, while captain Vincent Kompany is 28 and experiencing his worst season at City.
But Pellegrini will not go along with such a theory, saying defensively: ‘I don’t think the best players at the end can suddenly grow old in three months.’
NONETHELESS, he clearly believes City have to flex their financial muscles again to replenish the squad, just as they did in 2008 when the new Abu Dhabi owners broke the British transfer record within 24 hours of their arrival to sign Robinho. Since then, they have spent £500million on transfer fees.
‘I will try to continue being noisy,’ said the Chilean, referring to Ferguson’s famous quote about City in 2010. ‘All the big teams spend a lot of money, always. People just talk about it when it’s City.’
The problem for Pellegrini is that United are back in the game, competing for the top players following a brief post-Fergie wobble. United executive vicechairman Ed Woodward, who has overall responsibility for the budget, is determined his club will not be bullied out of deals as they were when City beat them to Samir Nasri, from Arsenal.
Van Gaal, after five consecutive Premier League wins, is equally bullish, declaring: ‘I don’t have any doubt that players are coming to Manchester United.’
Negotiations for Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan are understood to be under way, but the acid test will be for Juventus and France star Paul Pogba, 22, rated the best young midfield player in Europe and coveted by United and City.
Both will throw money and the promise of titles at £60m Pogba, who began his career at Old Trafford but was allowed to leave for Serie A after a rare error of judgment by Ferguson.
City say there are mitigating factors why they are a point behind United. David Silva thinks United’s absence from the Champions League has helped them.
‘It doesn’t surprise me United are doing well, they have had the advantage of only having the Premier League to play for, just as Liverpool did last season,’ said the Spaniard. ‘It will be a hard game for us at Old Trafford but it’s one we can definitely win.’
The future of Pellegrini will come under huge scrutiny if he loses this match. He has been given some comfort by van Gaal, who dismisses City’s last result, a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, as a virtual fluke.
‘I saw the game, watching on TV at home with a cup of coffee. Crystal Palace went 2-0 ahead but you could not imagine it was a 2-0 game,’ said the United manager.
‘We have also played these kind of matches. The opponents crossed the halfway line three times and they scored two goals but that’s football, and more so in England than in other countries.
‘Manchester City were unlucky and, of course, confidence is a big thing in football. But Sunday is another game, a special game and it shall not influence a lot.’
Rooney’s brilliant winner against City in 2011 was voted the best Premier League goal of all-time. The United captain still regards it as his favourite.
‘It was my best goal because of the importance of it. We won the game and soon after we won the title,’ he said.
Should United win this afternoon, their supporters will dare to dream of such moments again. But if City can upset the odds and prove they are still a major force to be reckoned with, the noise will reverberate around Europe — and even reach Pogba.