Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THE Carling Cup semi-final was supposed to be a defining moment for Manchester City's aspirations to catch United both on and off the pitch. Alas, for long suffering City fans, the agony will go on for a little longer as Wayne Rooney struck a last-minute winner to send the champions into a final against Aston Villa.
However, it is not so bleak that City should not take anything out of this cup tie as there is much to be optimistic about, not least the vast collateral that backs the club compared to the horrifying finances that haunt their illustrious neighbour across the city.
This is unfortunately one of the problems in assessing where City are compared to United, is it success on the pitch or off it that matters most? The answer, of course, lays somewhere in the middle but until the team in blue have won trophies then their position will always be second best.
United are currently dogged by constant media coverage about the state of their finances which on the surface appear to hold some serious consideration and a public attempt to re-finance does not help their image.
If success, as with Chelsea, is bought by a wealthy benefactor that is one thing, lucky even, but if it is gained by borrowing huge amounts against the club then that appears nothing more than reckless.
United are fortunate that under Ferguson they now have a pedigree and one that is sufficient to sustain them through these times. They do not have to explain themselves to anyone and this creates a thick skin around a very powerful club. It will not, though, take very much to bring them back to earth.
The selling of Ronaldo to service interest payments with no player investment is one thing but to sell their current prized asset in Rooney, well, that would be an entirely different matter.
City, of course, are in an entirely different position. They are looking for the players they can buy not worrying about the players they may have to sell and this is a world built around the future not the present. Of course, without the right people even the millions available could be wasted but at least they will have the opportunity to try.
Most other clubs in the Premiership are just dreaming of this chance and they, like United, are more worried about the present and what challenges face them.
On the pitch the picture is not a lot different and the two leg semi final just about sums it up. United's goals came from Giggs, Scholes and Rooney whilst City's came from Tevez, a player United could not afford.
City boss Mancini might well have been disappointed with the semi-final outcome but he will still have woken up in the morning wondering what players to buy to ensure it does not happen again ... which is not an altogether glum prospect. Ferguson, meanwhile, must have wondered how on earth he is going to find a way to carry the club's reputation into its next metamorphosis.
The biggest mistake City could currently make is thinking they are bigger than United now. They certainly are not, but if they win games and buy fan friendly players then the dream may look after itself.
Wanting something is one thing but achieving it whilst running a fantastic football club will bring the respect of the football fraternity rather than the jealousy that Chelsea have suffered under Ambramovich.
Rather than being just another rich man's toy they could be a modern day reflection of how football will be in the future. Rich, well run and with its fan base at the core.
Not many clubs can afford to have such lofty dreams but you never know with City - they just might aspire to their goal of overtaking United but not in the way they originally thought.
A successful cross between a buy-at-any-cost Real Madrid and a fan-owned Barcelona - now there's an enlightened philosophy for 21st Century football clubs.
