Manchester City and Manchester United sprinting in different directions
In the summer of 2009, nouveau-rich Manchester City signed ex-Manchester United attacker Carlos Tevez. Later in the week, a sky-blue billboard was mounted in the city centre. It was a picture of the Argentine with arms outstretched. “Welcome to Manchester”, it read. It was a delicious stunt and it had the desired effect. When quizzed about it, an ashen-faced Sir Alex Ferguson referred to City as “a small club with a small mentality”. The extent of his irritation would only increase in the following years but in the beginning, many were excited by City's newly-acquired ambition and Ferguson's begrudgery only fuelled that perspective. The project looked like fun. Lots of money, lots of signings, a new Premier League plaything.
But despite the titles in 2012 and 2014, despite the individual magic of some of their players, City frustrates and irritates. They have been unable to build on success, instead becoming easily distracted in the giddy aftermath of championship triumph. They have suffered humiliation in Europe, consistently outplayed and outsmarted by the continent's finest. They have fallen foul of Financial Fair Play regulations, suffering the consequences of being pumped full of Qatari money. And though respected, they remain largely unloved by the majority of the English soccer community.
They're not the first top-flight team to buy their way to victory, and maybe that's part of the problem. With Chelsea, their brazen and Machiavellian approach to securing back-to-back titles (shortly after the club had been purchased by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich) was masterminded by the devilish and alluring Jose Mourinho, a young, exciting coach. Backed by a cocky, controversial but convincing tactician, the flush London club intrigued many, yes, with their money, but also with their motives. The players were hungry for success. There was a clear system. With City, it remains to be seen what the long-term strategy is. Their owner, Sheikh Mansour, seems intent on building a worldwide brand and has taken control of two other soccer clubs in New York and Melbourne, dressed them in City colours and hopes success in England can fuel the development and interest in the other projects. But, in the short-term, City's success is in jeopardy and they need a radical rescue plan to save their season.
Ahead of Sunday's local derby with Manchester United, manager Manuel Pellegrini is under considerable pressure. From their last 14 fixtures, City have won just four of them. With 31 Premier League games played (and seven remaining), City are in fourth place in the table. After 20 games, they were first.
With the top four sides making it through to next season's UEFA Champions League, a defeat this weekend could prove detrimental to their hopes of qualifying and Pellegrini's hopes of staying in a job.
Last Monday, City were beaten by Crystal Palace – their sixth league defeat of the campaign. Glenn Murray scored Palace's first goal while Jason Puncheon grabbed what proved the winner. Both players had been signed for a combined fee of $4.4b million. City's millionaires had been beaten by a team of journeymen who had wanted it more. It was a sorry sight. The reigning champions were reduced to cheap cliche - a group of overpaid, overhyped egos that cared little anymore.
Of course, their nearest and dearest neighbours had similar trouble last season. The last time these sides met at Old Trafford was over a year ago, the atmosphere toxic as David Moyes' ill-fated spell as United manager was inching ever closer to conclusion. The hosts were embarrassing, having completely lost faith in their supposed guiding light. They conceded inside the first minute of the game and offered little fight, City adding two more goals with minimal effort. How City would cherish such an easy ride this weekend.
They won't get one. United are sprinting towards the finish line after a heavy-legged trudge through the majority of the campaign. Playing with a renewed sense of energy and purpose, they've collected some eye-catching results in recent weeks, most notably at Anfield. And as their band of big-name signings have endured difficult debut seasons, it's been left to the unheralded names to step into the spotlight.
In that 3-0 derby defeat to City last term, Marouane Fellaini was replaced after 66 minutes to the applause of the home fans. Bought from Everton at the beginning of the season, the towering Belgian struggled under the weight of a heavy price tag and with the difficult environment of a club in transition. When Moyes was sacked, it appeared that Fellaini would also go. Instead, just as a loan move to Napoli was on the cards, he picked up an injury and was forced to stay put. Then, one magical night last October, Louis van Gaal sent him on as a second-half substitute against West Brom. Within minutes, he thumped a magnificent strike to the roof of the net - his first competitive goal for the club. It was a turning point.
And in recent weeks, Fellaini - for so long a maligned figure - has proved crucial in United's renaissance. Playing further forward and supporting Wayne Rooney, he looks a man reborn, all delicate touches, intelligent passes and old-fashioned aggression.
There is an excitement to Manchester United again. They're a long way from where they need to be but the attractive, high-tempo football is back. There's a swagger, a belief.
City, meanwhile, are desperately in need of some. They've been here before so the pattern is a worrying one. The aging squad needs urgent attention. Their best-performing players of recent seasons seem weary and worn.
The derby gives the club an opportunity to steady themselves. But, spurred on by the misery of last season's capitulation, United will look to cut deep.
Welcome to Manchester.
