Sir Alex Ferguson should be advised that a television will only drown out noisy neighbours for so long and one day that television will have to be turned off. He should also be aware that day is close to arriving.
Following City’s 3-1 win over West Ham, the United manager will be only too aware that the blues are now just three points behind his Old Trafford squad and, should City win their game in hand against Everton, the two clubs will be locked on equal points with only goal difference separating the two sides.
City’s form is in sharp contrast to how it has been in previous seasons; teams have promised so much yet delivered so little but now there is a real air of optimism that the club is on the verge of waking from their thirty or so year slumber. Indeed, having caught the attentions of Sir Alex is evidence of this. Rarely does he talk about anyone who is not a threat. Did he play his mind games with Stoke the way he did with City?
City are showing a real resilience this season was has evidently been lacking in previous seasons. Against Arsenal, we conceded an equaliser and could have capitulated, yet instead they fought back for a resounding victory. Against United, the blues would have lost four or five nil a few seasons ago after losing a goal so early but back they came not once or twice but three times. How many other teams have done that at Old Trafford?
The Carling Cup proved a little difficult but the blues prevailed. Okay it was against a weakened Fulham team but it was still a team determined to pull off a shock against a clearly stronger unit. And against the Hammers it would have been usual if the team had battled away only to finish the game all square, unable to break down the opposition.
But now we now have some fight in us and it is a fight that we are prepared to take to the opposition. West Ham might have been a poor side last night but they are a Premiership side and have been for some time. If we are to challenge for league titles and trophies, we have to make sure we beat teams like the Hammers, both home and away, no matter how good or bad they are.
City are beginning to show that we can live with the best. Whether we can keep pace with the top sides for the duration of the season will of course, be discovered at the end of the season but the blues have already shown that, despite the absences of players such as Robinho, Emmanuel Adebayor, Stephen Ireland and Vincent Kompany, City are a force to be reckoned with. What will we do when they return?
The blues are on their way to becoming a major force in English football. We are not there yet and need to develop that ruthless streak that we need to really kill teams off when they are down in the same manner Portsmouth were dispatched at Eastlands last season.
Once we have that, grab those seats and hold tight. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.
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