Omar Berrada intervention could see Man City get unlikely helping hand from Man United

Manchester United have been raising eyebrows at Manchester City since Sir Jim Ratcliffe took charge of football operations at Old Trafford.

The poaching of Omar Berrada to be their new CEO was a shot across the bows but also, City thought, a recognition of everything they have been getting right in running a football club. Appointing former City academy director Jason Wilcox as well as former City communication director Toby Craig have only added to that feeling.

Even more intriguing has been the words of Ratcliffe, who has rarely wasted an opportunity to talk City up. He described their Champions League thrashing of Real Madrid as the best 45 minutes of football he had ever seen and been far less provocative than rivals have when the Premier League charges have come up.

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This week, Ratcliffe even echoed City in warning the Premier League about the dangers of being too strict with regulation. After a period of time where the Blues have been painted as the bad guys for questioning the legality of the latest Associated Party Transaction rules, the United boss spoke on record to say that he could understand why they are challenging it and "why they would say that they want an open market, a free market".

City aren't used to having many friendly faces around the table at Premier League meetings given their unique position, having moved up into being an elite club and having the legality of their rise under scrutiny. Ferran Soriano can expect a warm welcome from his former colleague when Berrada starts work at Old Trafford on July 13, but even beyond that Ratcliffe's