My gut feeling assessing the Manchester derby on Sunday is to say that this is just another three points in a long season. I want to argue that, in my years of fighting for titles and having watched several races unfold, Sunday's result will not have a pivotal influence on the eventual outcome. I would add that it is far too early to judge and that there are too many twists and turns to come.
Golden touch: City forward David Silva celebrates scoring in the 6-1 derby win at Old Trafford last season Either of these sides are capable of putting a 10- or 15- game unbeaten run together. And either team could be struck down with injuries.
There is so much more to be played out. Remember, it was just over a year ago, in October 2011, that Manchester City beat Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford and the headlines the day after were 'Power Shift' and 'This Will Herald A New Era'.
But seven weeks later, when City lost at Chelsea, another headline read: 'Title Race Blown Wide Open'. Normally I would use those examples to demonstrate how quickly our perceptions of the title race can change. But then my mind goes back to that dramatic last day of the season, to Sergio Aguero's injury-time goal, to the United players looking bemused and downcast at the Stadium of Light and to City's ecstatically celebrating the title - on goal difference. I said in April last year, before that climax to the season, that it would be Sir Alex Ferguson's worst nightmare to lose a title race on goal difference and that he had always emphasised to us the importance of winning a game 3-0 or 4-0 once we were in control, precisely because of that possibility. And I remember Sir Alex congratulating City immediately after they had won the title, but then saying: 'This will never happen again.'
On Sunday, those United players that were at the Stadium of Light, who experienced the bitterness of losing the title, will be reminded of that: it can never happen again. Because although we can overstate the importance of individual games, when it came down to it, the goal difference City accrued in October last year at Old Trafford proved crucial. And those United players will receive another reminder from Sir Alex that, were they to lose at the Etihad Stadium, they would again be knocked off the top spot by City - on goal difference. And that's why this game has become the most important fixture in English football.
Golden touch: City forward David Silva celebrates scoring in the 6-1 derby win at Old Trafford last season Either of these sides are capable of putting a 10- or 15- game unbeaten run together. And either team could be struck down with injuries.
There is so much more to be played out. Remember, it was just over a year ago, in October 2011, that Manchester City beat Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford and the headlines the day after were 'Power Shift' and 'This Will Herald A New Era'.
But seven weeks later, when City lost at Chelsea, another headline read: 'Title Race Blown Wide Open'. Normally I would use those examples to demonstrate how quickly our perceptions of the title race can change. But then my mind goes back to that dramatic last day of the season, to Sergio Aguero's injury-time goal, to the United players looking bemused and downcast at the Stadium of Light and to City's ecstatically celebrating the title - on goal difference. I said in April last year, before that climax to the season, that it would be Sir Alex Ferguson's worst nightmare to lose a title race on goal difference and that he had always emphasised to us the importance of winning a game 3-0 or 4-0 once we were in control, precisely because of that possibility. And I remember Sir Alex congratulating City immediately after they had won the title, but then saying: 'This will never happen again.'
On Sunday, those United players that were at the Stadium of Light, who experienced the bitterness of losing the title, will be reminded of that: it can never happen again. Because although we can overstate the importance of individual games, when it came down to it, the goal difference City accrued in October last year at Old Trafford proved crucial. And those United players will receive another reminder from Sir Alex that, were they to lose at the Etihad Stadium, they would again be knocked off the top spot by City - on goal difference. And that's why this game has become the most important fixture in English football.
