Manchester United's new owners must do three things to overthrow Man City

It wasn't a nightmare, but reality.

A long summer without club football just got even longer for Manchester United fans after their noisy neighbours joined them in the history books by completing the Treble last night.

In doing so, they became the eighth European side to do so and just the second from England after United in 1999.

City's win won't take anything away from United's legendary feat, and many will argue that the first was better, given the number of homegrown players used by Sir Alex Ferguson's side and the fact they didn't have an entire state backing them.

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Supporters will also argue that the number 115 is more relevant than the number three, representing the amount of Premier League charges against them for breaching financial rules, which City strenuously deny.

What is relevant, though, is that City's undeniable sporting achievement is further evidence of their tight grip on modern football, one that is surely only going to get tighter in the years ahead.

It is particularly poignant with regard to United's own possible takeover this summer and highlights the enormity of the challenge that any prospective buyer has to return the club to the very top.

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both spoke of returning United to their former glories as part of their initial mission statements for the club, and in order to do so, they will need to topple City.

United are at least on the right track given that Erik ten Hag has shown enough to suggest he is a man who can take them back to where they feel they belong, and he has also established the core nucleus of a winning squad.

It is obvious that financial backing will be required should a