Last October, Manchester City put six past their bitter rivals, and it appeared to most commentators that only one club from that great city of football could possibly lift the Premier League Trophy.

Well, the wily old Alex Ferguson proved them all wrong – yet again.

And here we are just a week away from the most important game of the Premier League and no one – including Roberto Mancini himself – is giving City a chance.

Yet, City have Tevez and will be able to use that player called Mario Balotelli for this game – as well as a number of other great players.

United have one thing going for them – a manager who was a legend many years ago and who is continuing through the sheer force of his personality, experience, expertise – and many, many other skills – to project a very average team to ever greater heights.

Whether that will be enough on Monday, I very much doubt.

It won’t be a walkover there will be no 6-1 rout this time – but City will win this game and go on to become Champions for the first time.

That’s because Everton by putting four past the leaders over the weekend showed this United side despite being coached by Sir Alex Ferguson are not the United of old.