The last ten days have seen the title race move into overdrive with both Manchester clubs pitting their wits against each other, partaking in the oft-used Premier League mind games. First off, Man City development executive and former midfielder Patrick Vieira stated that a number of teams get big decisions in their favour during key games. This was stated after Fulham were denied a clear-cut penalty in their 1-0 defeat against the Champions at Old Trafford when Michael Carrick tripped Danny Murphy. Then, the master of mind games himself, Sir Alex Ferguson, bit back – stating that Vieira was ‘programmed’ to make those comments.
This is a fine example of classic top-flight banter between two deadly rivals, locking horns as they reach the home straight in their quest for Premier League glory. Isn’t it quite incidental, though, that the former Arsenal and France midfielder has made such comments as his team currently endure their patchiest period of form to date this season? In the past five Premier League games, as Man United have motored to 15 points, City themselves have only managed to conjure up eight, stuttering to draws against Sunderland and Stoke and suffering a damaging defeat to Swansea City at the Liberty stadium.
While one must doff their cap to the blue side of Manchester for their splendid football so far this term, one must also remember that this is the first time they’ve been in a proper title race. Thus, they were bound to encounter some sticky moments along the way. Meanwhile, Ferguson’s men have crept along in the background, scraping wins together and waiting for City to falter. And when they did – with that 1-0 defeat to a Luke Moore header at the Liberty Stadium – the Champions were there to pounce.
Both clubs have played their part in an exceptional title race thus far – it’s been neck-and-neck for nigh-on eight months without any other club having even a sniff of the top two. Challengers such as Chelsea and Arsenal, teams rightly considered as title challengers, have been left out in the cold – 15 plus points behind the Northern boys in the hunt for silverware. Now though, as we get to that vital stage – or ‘squeaky bum time’ as Ferguson calls it – a winner must step forward and grasp the initiative. It seems that, despite all their camaraderie and bottomless wealth, City have encountered the jitters and United, as always, have kicked on, grinded it out and only a fool would bet against them now.
It’s not over, certainly not, it only takes one slip up from Ferguson’s men to change the entire picture. But with the way that United are playing and the gusto at which they’re brushing teams aside, it’s hard to see another outcome. Looking at both run-ins – you can see that City may come unstuck on the road (where they have been shaky in recent weeks); Arsenal are still to come at the Emirates and they’ve been on super form (barring Saturday’s defeat to QPR). One glance at United’s fixtures sees four of their eight fixtures against teams in the bottom six.
The Manchester derby on 30th April is still a tasty proposition. But, with the way fortunes are for both clubs, it may be that United can afford to slip up and still win the league, and Ferguson will have toppled yet another manager who threatened to break the mould. Regardless of the outcome, it’s been a hell of a title race; one of the best in recent memory.
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