Jim Ratcliffe’s determination to bring down Manchester City is abundantly clear.
So is his admiration, it seems, for the team he calls “the enemy.”
Since becoming co-owner of
He described City’s 4-0 win over
He was even behind United’s recent appointment of one of City’s former top executives,
Ratcliffe acknowledged United was a “long way behind” City. Just how far might be placed into sharp focus this weekend.
It’s the 192nd Manchester derby on Sunday, pitting two rivals at opposite stages of their modern development: City, the English, European and world club champion, vs. United, a fallen giant looking to be kickstarted by the riches and passion of a locally born billionaire.
Few are giving United a hope in the
Take last season’s match at the Etihad, for example, where
Or this season’s match at Old Trafford, where United was overrun and ultimately humiliated in a 3-0 loss in October.
United coach
“The players are ready for it and looking forward to it," he said. “I can smell it.”
City comes into the derby following a 6-2 win at
United has actually won seven of its nine games in all competitions in 2024 but barely ever convinces, which leaves Ten Hag under permanent pressure. Tellingly, Ratcliffe, in his round of post-takeover interviews, never gave his complete backing to the Dutchman.
March will also see United take on its other big foe,
Fifteen points separate second-placed City and sixth-placed United, and that could be 18 by Sunday evening.
Ten Hag expects midfielder
Ten Hag calls Fernandes “a leader by example” and expects him to play a key role, providing he gets more protection.
“He is creating the most chances in the
More important for City these days is the points gap to leader
After scoring a last-minute winner to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday night, Chelsea has a short trip across
Chelsea is languishing in 11th place amid a difficult campaign for coach
Last Sunday, his players were described by leading British soccer pundit
Neville stands by what he said, although he accepts it was a “harsh" line.
“I said that they froze in extra time, there is no doubt that they were playing with fear and froze," Neville told a Sky podcast. “Bottle doesn’t mean cowardness, they just froze on the day. We (United) froze in games sometimes, in
Brentford has lost four of the past five league games and is in 16th place.
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