TEAMtalk guest John Baines believes Manchester City face the ultimate test of how far they have come as a footballing giant at Old Trafford.
The Premier League's top two and bookies' favourites for the title come together on Sunday afternoon in arguably the most eagerly-anticipated fixture of the season so far.
Whatever the result, the ultimate destination of the Premier League trophy will not become much clearer for it - especially with Chelsea hovering menacingly in third. However, what we will find out is just how these two sides now perceive one another.
Just shy of 12 months ago, the reciprocal Manchester derby took place in the other half of the city. The scoreless draw at Eastlands was remarkable for nothing and memorable for all of the wrong reasons. Neither side came out of the affair with much credit, especially the hosts who were widely pilloried for their overtly-cautious tactics.
Roberto Mancini's men played for and got a draw without showing much inclination to attack their bitter rivals or go for the win. The point was lauded as another step towards the goal of Champions League positioning but to the naked eye it looked like an admission of weakness on City's behalf. An on-field demonstration orchestrated from the touchline that they still felt inferior to their old foes. The fact that at the time Manchester United were not even officially the best team in the land and were labouring themselves through the post Wayne Rooney transfer saga made the whole attitude from Mancini's men even more baffling.
A year on and the dynamics of the situation have changed, with United champions and City having grand designs on the thought. If City are to realise the aims of their expenditure and talent, they must shake the inferiority complex which has hung over them for decades - starting on Sunday.
Mancini's pragmatism in last year's derby was not an isolated incident. His side had been equally as belligerent against other contenders and although this season City's scorelines have been in large impressive, their only result of note was the dismantling of a ragged Tottenham side reeling from concerns over Luka Modric's future. In every aspect, this is the first true test of their credentials.
There is no doubt that Manchester City have the quality and depth of personnel to win this division, but as demonstrated by United's 'unvintage' class of 2010/11, going the course over 38 games requires an ingrained desire to win which is bred and not bought as well as other characteristics which define champions.
Late winners, resilient comebacks and ground-out victories all contribute to becoming the best team in the land - but so to does having a fearlessness and bravado that you are indeed the best. United have enviably demonstrated many of these traits since the inception of the Premier League to make them so revered and reviled and it is these qualities which City need to compliment their outstanding individual qualities.
A no-nonsense win over Everton and a late comeback midweek against Villarreal prove they can perform with such functionality - but the strongest barometer of how to judge how far they've progressed will be how they approach facing the champions on Sunday.
Going into the game City will be largely at full strength with the absence of Carlos Tevez long since immaterial. They are on the back of five wins out of six in all competitions as opposed to United's two from five plus injury issues, with the Blues knowing a win would put them five points clear of the side they seek to usurp.
Internally all concerned with Manchester City may take a point now, as would many sides who venture into the turf of parallel opposition, but there is a difference between getting a point and playing for one - and the manner and mentality of their performance will shed more light on their aspirations than any material gains. For once, a trip to Old Trafford should yield no fear, and neither should it be placed into them.
Conversely attitudes may also have changed from within the United camp. You are unlikely to hear Sir Alex Ferguson uttering 'noisy neighbours' any time soon and the Scot has long since admitted that City pose a genuine threat to his side's mantra of English football's kingpins.
The Red Devils supremo will be well aware that despite the flurry of early-season goals, United's expansive style has often left them alarmingly exposed at the back. A statistic coughed up after the Norwich City game showed United have had more shots directed at them than any other side this season and that tally was also more than they'd allowed throughout the whole of last season.
Arsenal and Chelsea have already perished at Old Trafford this term but each of those eventually-handsome victories were skewered by profligate finishing from the visitors and Basle's three goals in the Champions League further highlighted a soft centre.
Last time out at Anfield, Ferguson gave the runners a run-out, switching to a starting 4-5-1 to try to reinforce the midfield protection. Of course, battening down the hatches away from home is different to doing it in front of your own fans - but even still it will be interesting to see how Ferguson attempts to taper the threat of the positionless connivance of City playmaker David Silva.
Few managers have as much faith in their team as Ferguson and given hosting rights the onus will be on United to get at their cross-town rivals. Perhaps in any other season against City that would be the case, and certainly against Arsenal and Chelsea that was the case, but one senses times are a changing and the time to change may well be Sunday.
The infancy of the season has seen United and City set themselves up as the teams to top, but which one has the absolute belief to win over 90 minutes and 38 games will become apparent by 3.30pm on Sunday - even if the outcome of the piece will be defined much further down the line.
No comments:
Post a Comment