Ferguson says latest derby has real ´edge´

Sir Alex Ferguson has said the fact Manchester City are now genuine title contenders has added an extra edge to what is always the big match that is the Manchester derby.

Ferguson’s men — currently the only unbeaten team in the top flight — are currently three points in front of City ahead of Wednesday’s match at Eastlands.

While United are used to contending for and winning trophies, it is more than 30 years since City last lifted a significant piece of silverware.

But the club’s Middle Eastern backers have given City boss Roberto Mancini millions of pounds to spend in the transfer market and Ferguson expects the cash to continue to be splashed until they have at last won something.

“It does put an edge on (the game),” Ferguson told Inside United magazine. “I don’t believe there’s any question about that.

“We know the kind of money they’re spending – they’ve bought another five or six players in the summer and they’ll keep doing that until they win something.

“You know that’s going to be the way it is and you have to deal with it as it comes along.

“They’re up there (challenging for the Premier League title), and you can’t wait until tomorrow when there’s something there today. I’m sure they’re thinking that way themselves.”