COMMENT: Manchester City will never be bigger than Manchester United. No matter what they win. Who they hire. City will always be the poor cousin. Right, United fans?
Erm, don't be so sure...
In the week it emerged United were slashing budgets across every department, Manuel Pellegrini, City's popular manager, dramatically announced on transfer deadline day that he would be stepping aside in June to make way for the biggest show in coaching, Pep Guardiola.
As United were shrinking by 15 per cent, City, caught on the hop by Pellegrini, were confirming Guardiola's imminent arrival from Bayern Munich - and all the publicity to go with it.
Still not convinced?
The news that the Glazer family, United's remote control owners, had demanded 15 per cent cuts throughout the club came just a week after it broke that academy staff were already working to a budget that failed to cover the cost of bibs and balls. The U18s had stumbled through a run of ten consecutive defeats and morale was even worse in the younger age groups.
While United trumpet record revenue and profit, the system that produced the Class of '92 is on its knees: A victim of neglect and sheer disregard.
United staff have complained about City's aggressive local recruiting this season. But was that more a case of sour grapes? When presented with the two options, what responsible parent is going to choose United over City's academy for their son? An academy where the coaching staff are paid more than double their United counterparts. Where the junior players train at City's new £200 million Etihad campus - and play at the club's own Academy stadium. What parents? Well, certainly not Phil Neville. Nor Robin van Persie or Darren Fletcher...
But wait, there's more...
You have to fancy that City's board were well aware of what Chinese Super League clubs were planning this month. The mega spending has shocked us all. But City will have been across it, having sold a 13 per cent stake to China Media Capital (CMC) in December.
While United satisfy themselves with the latest sponsorship from an Asian pot noodle firm, City go into partnership with a company that has pledged to aggressively promote and build the club's name throughout China. And using the Etihad campus, the trophies and Guardiola as a benchmark, this is no hollow promise.
Of all the globe's emerging markets, Chinese football is today at front of mind for all fans. And the club best placed to take advantage? No, not the Glazers' United, with all its history, but City.
Louis van Gaal. United's possession game. The abandoning of the traditional United wingers. These are important issues. However, scratch the surface, look a little deeper, and you see the dismantling of a club's culture. United folklore was built on its youth system. From Duncan Edwards to George Best through to Ryan Giggs. United's culture has come from local heroes.
But now its City's junior teams that are bursting with local talent, improving every day, working with the best coaching staff and at the very best football complex on the planet. In contrast, United are now going abroad more and more to fill their youth squads.
Despite the record revenue, the spectacular accounts, United are scaling everything back. For every stride City take forward, United stumble a step back. It's only now that the state of United is finding its way to the public arena, but this is no overnight occurrence. It's been a slow burn, which is now accelerating with the void left by Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill. Those still with green and gold gear at the back of their wardrobe were so, so right.
It's not too late. The slide into mediocrity can be halted. Traditions and principles rescued. Ironically, the watershed may've come from City and Guardiola. The realisation of where the two clubs now sit suddenly (or finally) dawning on those at Old Trafford.
The Chelsea of today is nothing like the one of 25 years ago. When Arsenal were winning the League under George Graham, Chelsea were being promoted with John Bumstead and David Lee. Fast-forward to today and Gooners apart, you'd get little argument claiming Chelsea the bigger club.
But this is never going to happen in Manchester, right United fans?