Manchester agog for City, United clash

Top spot in the Premier League will be at stake in today’s Manchester derby, but leaders Manchester United and champions Manchester City are both still to hit their stride this season.

The two teams are threatening to leave third-place Chelsea trailing in their wake, and yet a glance at the league table reveals that all is not well at either Old Trafford or the Etihad Stadium.

United, who lead City by three points, have already been beaten by Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City, and have shipped 21 goals in 15 games, more at this stage of the campaign than in any season since 2001-2002.

And while City boast the last unbeaten record in English league soccer, they have drawn six times and were eliminated from all European competition on Tuesday after losing 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

“We are both in a similar situation,” said Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs, whose side edged Reading 4-3 in a madcap encounter recently.

“We (United) are in a good position in the league but haven’t hit the form we did in parts last season. That can be frustrating because we want perfection.

“We want to be the best team and each individual wants to be the best player. We must be doing something right because we are in a good position and there is the belief we can score goals.

“But that doesn’t mean we should neglect our defending and not try and stop the goals we are leaking because we need to stop conceding them.”

City drew first blood in last season’s title race with a 6-1 win at Old Trafford that sent shock waves around Europe, before a 1-0 success at the Etihad in April took them to the brink of the championship.

With United having missed out on the title to Roberto Mancini’s men on goal difference alone, Giggs believes that today’s encounter could have significant ramifications for the title race again.

“We have found over the last couple of years that the derby, with the money City have spent and the quality they have brought in, has got bigger and bigger,” said Giggs.

“The two games against them were the difference last season. Hopefully we can get the right result and that will be the difference come the end of this season.”

Giggs, 39, has already made 35 derby appearances.

United manager Alex Ferguson predicted the Premier League title would be won by either his team or City.

“I think the two sides have that gap over Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. It will be difficult to think the two of us will collapse. I think it will be between the two of us,” Ferguson said.

Even if United end City’s unbeaten start to the season, Ferguson said a six-point advantage at this stage of the season would not be that significant.