This weekend, Manchester is at the centre of the universe. Let's embrace it

This weekend, all eyes are on Manchester.

City are on the verge of completing a treble. Hundreds of thousands of music fans will be descending on Heaton Park for Parklife, with the some of the biggest acts in the world coming to town.

That’s not all. There are huge gigs on at The Etihad and AO Arena — with the latter already embroiled in controversy — and Soccer Aid rounds off the weekend at Old Trafford on Sunday evening.

It’s a lot. It’s also why I’ve found it difficult to escape the feeling that, for this weekend at least, Manchester is the centre of the universe.

Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link.

It’s not a feeling that’s suddenly come on. Last weekend, hungover and slumped on my settee, I watched Ilkay Gundogan hammer in a volley at the FA Cup final, and repeat the trick an hour later after a Bruno Fernandes penalty.

The first Manchester derby FA Cup final lived up to the billing — but even though Mancunian stars were at the forefront, the nation’s attention was on Wembley. That made me realise this weekend will be slightly different.

This weekend every football fan will be glued to a screen on Saturday evening, to see if City can do it. The only comparable team, in history, is United’s 1999 all-conquering side, which perhaps only adds to my feeling the Earth is orbiting around Piccadilly Gardens this weekend.

And every music fan will either be at a stadium, arena, or park in Greater Manchester — or wishing they were. Social media timelines will be full of images of funky outfits, glorious guitar solos, and banging bassy beats.

After that, just when you thought we’d get a break, Soccer Aid will give us wholesome fun to shut the 48-hour-Mancunian-spotlight down.

To top it