Rarely does a game induce the need for so many superlatives, but this can certainly be said of tomorrow night's ultimate clash of the season; perhaps one of the biggest in history. Rarely does a game create so much excitement, with two local rivals fighting neck and neck, toe to toe for the ultimate prize in English football: The Premiership title. Words are not fitting of illustrating this titanic clash, one that has sparked huge excitement both in Manchester and all over the land.
Manchester City v Manchester United...the bitterest of rivalries, but now one with so much more to the tale; with so many more chapters being written over the last couple of seasons, purely on the basis that City are no longer light-years apart from the men in Red, and no longer simply the "noisy neighbours" that Sir Alex Ferguson once described them as. The threat is very real and all roads point to Manchester for possibly the biggest game the Premiership has ever seen.
All of this could have been so much simpler, as United, in losing at Wigan and then surrendering a 4-2 lead at home to Everton to draw 4-4, have opened up a title race that City looked to have thrown away. For much of the season, since a 6-1 massacre of the reds at Old Trafford, it has been the blue half of Manchester singing the loudest, dreaming of a euphoric overhaul of their dominant neighbours. But, perhaps inevitably, this fixture remains, after all of the twists and turns of the title race, a hugely significant tie and one that is sure to shape the destiny for both of these Manchester clubs.
Some would say it is now in City's hands. With a superior goal difference over United and with goals flowing freely recently, as the pressure seems to have been lifted, because the weight of expectation has been lifted by Mancini, who quite cleverly distanced himself from the title race after their defeat at Arsenal earlier this month. United, however, are the masters of such situations. Blessed with the priceless experience of Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand, Rooney and the rest, only a fool would rule United out of getting a result at Eastlands tomorrow night.
In terms of tactics, City possess a great deal of strings to their bow, with a midfield that oozes class and a strike force that can create menace at will. However, United's strength this season has been utilising their famous affection for attacking wingers, with Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Nani causing havoc week in week out. They also have their main man up front bang in form, with 12 goals in his last 11 appearances, and who would rule out another vital goal from that man, Wayne Rooney?
The scene is well and truly set for a dramatic night in Manchester, one where the winner takes a great stride forward, and the loser an even bigger one back. A few weeks ago, nobody would have predicted that City would still be in with a shout, but they will need to muster all of their spirit and resources to take the three points that they so crave. For United, they simply must not lose, but you will certainly not see the kind of performance and tactics implemented by Chelsea in the Nou Camp this week, as they simply do not know how to be so negative.
All in all, it creates a magnificent spectre, one that will define and illuminate our Premier League and one that's excitement is reverberating and capturing the world over. For Sir Alex, a win tomorrow night and one hand on yet another title will surely be his greatest achievement, but for Mancini, he could equally further his affections with the City faithful. It is a game that neither side need lose, both for local pride and for the sake of their rivals as the two biggest sides in English football.
Sit back and enjoy a night that will surely be remembered for an eternity, regardless of the result.
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