Alex Ferguson believes Manchester derby is more intense than ever
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says that the Manchester derby is more intense now than ever before.
The Red Devils will visit the City of Manchester Stadium to take on local rivals Manchester City on Wednesday, 10 November, in the sides’ first English Premier League clash of the season.
Since City were taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in September 2008, they have emerged as a force in English football after snapping up several world-class players including Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure and 2010 FIFA World Cup winner
David Silva.
That financial might, according to Ferguson, has given the derby clash an added edge. City are sitting in fourth place in the EPL table, but can move alongside United — who are in second place with three points more than the Citizens — with a win on Wednesday.
'Incredible intensity'
Ferguson — who has seen his squad hit by a virus — told reporters that: "There is an incredible intensity in this derby game now, which was not there 10 or 15 years ago. Now the meetings with City are ones of great intensity, which is built up by the media
explosion around what they are doing and what they are trying to achieve.
"It is difficult to say whether it is inevitable they are eventually going to win the league. Obviously, in many people's eyes, having the money is a lot better than not, but this is still a difficult league to win. City recognise that themselves. (But)
there is nothing more satisfying than winning a derby game. It doesn't matter what year it is or when it is."
United emerged victorious from both of their league games against City last season with winning goals in injury-time. United also beat City in the Carling Cup semi-final last term.
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