Manchester City went top of the Premier League table with Monday’s 1-0 win over Manchester United, leaving it with just three opponents left to face: Newcastle United, QPR and itself.
No other club, surely, is so haunted by the slapstick nature of its past, so aware of its own capacity for self-destruction. This is, after all, the club that was relegated in 1938 as the highest scorers in the First Division. They're the same team that blew a comfortable lead in 1971-72 by signing Rodney Marsh, and was also relegated in 1996 after wasting time in the mistaken belief it needed only a draw to stay up when it actually needed a win.
Perhaps that is why Roberto Mancini, the City manager, is so determined to insist that even with City top of the table with a goal difference eight better than United, his side remains the outsider.
"It is not finished," said Mancini. "If we think it is finished, we will be making a big mistake. United are the favorites. They have easy games. They play against Swansea and Sunderland. We have two strong games, Newcastle and QPR. One plays for the Champions League, the other for relegation. It is important that we are on the top now but it is more important to be there after May 13."
Even when City has been successful in the past, it has tended to be overshadowed by United. In 1999, for instance, after a glum season in English football’s third flight, City scored two goals in the final minute of the promotion playoff final against Gillingham to take the game to extra time and then a penalty shootout, which it won.
It should have been one of the great comeback tales, the fallen giant finally finding its mettle. Except, four days earlier, United had scored twice in the last minute to win a Champions League final against Bayern Munich. And when City last won the league title, in 1968, United trumped it by becoming the first English side to win the European Cup.
United have been the preeminent side in Manchester ever since; a banner at the Stretford End at Old Trafford mockingly keeps count of each year that has passed since City’s last triumph.
This season, as City look not merely to win the league again after a 44-year hiatus and backed by the almost limitless wealth of Sheikh Mansoor, the Citizens look to overturn the established order. There are odd echoes of that last championship success of football dropping the odd reminder of the way things once were and how they might be again.
In 1968, City went to Newcastle on the final day and won as United lost at home to Sunderland. This season, City go to Newcastle on the penultimate weekend while United go to Sunderland on the final day.
And there are good reasons to believe City’s victory on Monday could herald long-term change. Sir Alex Ferguson was clearly riled by his side’s defeat, as was clear by his furious reaction to a clumsy Nigel de Jong foul on Danny Welbeck (a foul that, in fairness, looked much more cynical at first sight than in replays).
He and Roberto Mancini faced off on the touchline, kept apart only by the fourth official Mike Jones. "He was badgering the referee the whole game, the fourth official and the linesman, and the minute I go out there... Jesus...,” said Ferguson afterwards. "He was complaining about referees all week, he can't be complaining tonight, that's for sure."
Such a loss of cool is rare for Ferguson and it seemed telling that, while Mancini laughed the incident off afterwards. There was something comical about two grey-haired men snarling at each other opening and closing their hands like naked sock puppets. Ferguson should carry on with an unusually tepid complaint that ended up sounding a little desperate. After all, absolutely nothing in referee Andre Marriner’s display should upset either side.
Otherwise, Ferguson admitted his side had been second best. “We’re disappointed we never tested their goalkeeper,” he said. “Our crossing was poor. We had control of some parts of the game but not enough to do any damage.” In fact United were weirdly supine, lacking anybody with the energy and drive of Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure or Pablo Zabaleta, all of whom had excellent nights.
The decision to recall Park Ji-sung for his first game since the defeat to Athletic Bilbao six weeks ago was understandable given his usual industry and discipline. But the game largely passed him by, which left Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes exposed. They are two intelligent and composed midfielders, but neither had the energy to begin to compete with City’s midfield.
Ferguson must have known that was a potential issue as the use of Park suggested. Yet, with Darren Fletcher out indefinitely with illness, he had little option. There, if anybody doubts it, is the effect on the team of the lack of investment since the Glazer takeover.
Scholes has been excellent since he came out of retirement in January and Ryan Giggs has had another solid season, but they are 37 and 38 respectively. They can’t keep raging against the dying of the light forever. Park is 31 and Carrick 30; although United have the 24-year-old Anderson and the 22-year-old Tom Cleverley waiting in the wings. There is a clear need of at least one more central midfielder at the top of his game.
After the thwarted attempts to sign Wesley Sneijder last summer, United will surely be on the hunt for another central midfielder in the transfer season.
That, though, raises two issues: firstly, what is United’s budget? And secondly, if City do go on to win the league, which is the more attractive club to join in Manchester? City can offer more money, but a title would also give it credibility – and that is what might have changed on Monday.
Yes, the margin was only one goal, but that was the first time in three years that United failed to muster a shot on target and the game was played almost entirely around the United box – keep forcing the issue and sooner or later, the sort of marking error that led to the goal is bound to occur.
The title race isn’t over, of course, and there’s probably no side you’d trust with a lead less than City. It does have the tougher two games to play – against a side battling for Champions League qualification and another scrapping against relegation. United plays two mid-tables sides, one of which has begun experimenting with formations while the other has seemingly been mentally on holiday for a month. Yet, Monday felt like one of those moments when the environment changes. It felt like more than simply three points.
