It's the start of a big, bold new era at Manchester United. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has finally completed his purchase of around 25 per cent of the club, taking over the football operations of the club as part of the deal. In his first big series of interviews since the part-takeover was completed, Ratcliffe set out his vision for United under his leadership.
Having already poached Manchester City's Chief Operating Officer to be his new CEO, with interest in City's former Academy Director, Ratcliffe made his pitch with United's relationship with City firmly part of his vision. He wants to 'knock City off their perch', and cited the Blues as the benchmark for the quality he wants to reach on and off the pitch. He praised City's off-field operations and their professionalism in the deal to appoint Omar Berrada.
Maybe the lyrics to the popular chant among Blues fans should be changed to: 'Old Trafford is falling down, Ratcliffe is a City fan.'
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On the one hand, Ratcliffe is being refreshingly honest. In the last six seasons, United have won one trophy (the Carabao Cup) to City's 14 - including five league titles, the Champions League, and Club World Cup. It's clear that the balance of power in Manchester is firmly at the Etihad, and very few United fans will dispute that City are the best club in England, if not Europe and the world, under Pep Guardiola.
But United fans will always claim they are the bigger club. Their glittering history is indisputable, and if City have the best manager in the country at the current moment, then United boasted that title for 26
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