Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists money alone will not win trophies for Manchester City.
Having closed the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to two points at the weekend, the need for points is obvious, quite apart from meeting a challenge laid down by City, whose money has catapulted them into a Champions League place, even if manager Roberto Mancini has been forced to encounter a string of problems along the way.
"If clubs have money and want to spend it, they will," said Ferguson. "Chelsea did the same. So did Sunderland back in the 1950s.
"It is not an unusual thing. It is a fact of life. The only difference is that City is an untapped well at the moment.
"But it is difficult to say whether it is inevitable they are going to win the league at some point.
"Obviously, in many people's eyes, having the money is a lot better than not having it.
"But it is still a difficult league to win. City recognise that themselves."
