Man City can teach Manchester United a lesson before the derby kicks off

Sir Jim Ratcliffe spoke positively about Manchester City as he looks to try and ensure Manchester United catch up with them.

The new co-owners at Old Trafford have already landed a scalp by poaching Omar Berrada to become their new CEO, while former City academy manager Jason Wilcox could leave Southampton to take a recruitment job there as well. Those actions will give City pause for thought as they have to consider United as a more serious rival than the regime that only five years ago had their executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward boasting that they didn't need trophies to have commercial success.

That complacency has gone down brilliantly at City, who have put their foot down to motor further and further ahead of United in every department. There is a chance that United could spring an upset on the pitch on Sunday, but no reality where Ratcliffe and others walk away thinking they are close to City as a club.

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The Blues made £90m more in broadcasting revenue than United last season thanks to repeating their Treble and are improving their ability to turn eyeballs into pound, euro, yen and dollar signs. More significantly, they made £40m more commercial revenue.

City of course have had their financial partnerships from more than a decade ago challenged by the Premier League, and a panel later this year will determine how much they have to answer for. Yet the world does not stop turning waiting for that, and in the meantime the Blues have pushed on to strike bigger and better deals with companies that want their brand to be associated with success and pictured