Elliot Anderson has added a fresh edge to the Manchester derby by calling Manchester City the "Kings of Manchester" ahead of Manchester United Vs Manchester City at Old Trafford this weekend.
The City summer signing made the claim in an interview with the club website, and it is easy to see why he framed it that way. City have dominated the last 15 years, while the rivalry stretches back much further and has only grown more intense over time.
Anderson said: "It's one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I've known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester". He added: "It'll be a great fixture and I can't wait to be involved in something like that."
Why Anderson said City are the kings
The point Anderson was making is straightforward. He is speaking from the perspective of a player who has grown up watching City in their most successful modern era, rather than through the full history of the rivalry.
That is exactly how Enzo Maresca explained the remark. He said the view reflects what City have done over the last 15 years, while also noting that the picture looks different if you go back further. In other words, this is a comment shaped by recent history, not a denial of what came before.
Maresca said: "Probably the reason why Elliot said that was that he grew up in the last 15 years, Manchester City were unbelievable with what they achieved. It's normal Elliot said that," before adding: "If you go back, then it's a different picture but when he grew up Manchester City were dominant."
That is the broader context for this derby. City may have the recent edge, but the fixture still carries the weight of history, local pride and a support base that expects more than just talking points.
A derby with history and pressure
Maresca was clear that this is still a special match because of what it means in Manchester. He said it is special for the fans, the club and everyone involved, and that feeling is part of why the game remains such a major occasion.
He also made it clear that City will not treat it as anything less than a serious test. "I'm very excited. These are the games I like. These are the games we want," he said. "We know it's going to be a tough game. Since Michael [Carrick] took over they're doing a fantastic job. We can show respect in the derby by trying to be ourself and go there to try to win."
Carrick’s view was that the rivalry has changed over time. He said that when he first came to the club, "it wasn't like it is now," and that over 20 years the derby has grown and developed into something different.
That matters because it shows how the fixture has evolved alongside both clubs. The emotion is the same, but the scale of the occasion now reaches far beyond Manchester itself.
Manchester United and Manchester City meet at Old Trafford on Sunday, with kick-off set for 4.30pm. Sky Sports will show Man Utd vs Man City live from 4pm, in a Super Sunday showdown that will once again test the balance of power in the city.
