Sir Alex Ferguson has watched the city he ruled for over two decades turn from red to blue, and the worst thing is, he didn't even see it coming.
The former Manchester United boss, still the last manager to win the Red Devils a Premier League despite retiring almost a decade ago, looked bereft of energy as he sat in the stands at the Etihad. When the camera panned to him United were 4-0 down and begging for the half-time whistle, eventually losing 6-3.
United, who once upon a time didn't have to worry about City, not because they weren't a threat, but because they weren't even in the same league, continue to look up enviously. The narrative of Manchester turning blue wouldn't exist without the influx of Abu Dhabi millions.
City were taken over in 2008 and quickly set about displaying their wealth. Such investment was always going to see the gap between the two Manchester sides reduce, but Ferguson was adamant the pecking order wouldn't be changing whilst he was still around.
He was quizzed on whether City would ever sit above United back in September 2009 and responded by saying: "Not in my lifetime".
City's rise
Less than three years later and City were champions of England at United's expense. Now, 13 years on from Ferguson's arguably naive comment, those on the blue half of Manchester are the envy of their neighbours, with the Red Devils already eight points behind them after seven games.
Ferguson left his role at Old Trafford by adding another title, but since then his successors have all looked up at City with jealousy. In fact, in the nine seasons since his exit, United have failed to finish above City.
Back in 2019, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed those on the blue half of town were producing football they had to aspire to. He claimed: "They have set the standard in the last two seasons and I don't know how many points they've taken." That was a sentiment which began with David Moyes, who Ferguson picked to replace him. He failed to last a season but claimed that City were at the level they aspired to be at.
Did Fergie really not see it coming?
Arguably the key watershed moment in Manchester came during Ferguson's tenure when he saw Carlos Tevez leave Old Trafford to join City in a move that has come to define the rivalry and the shift in power. Those on the blue half continued to add quality in David Silva and Sergio Aguero, who were still linchpins of Pep Guardiola's early success.
Ferguson lost his last ever Manchester derby, 2-1 at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney, who played that night, enjoyed almost a decade under Ferguson, but remained on the decline and watched as City began to dominate. He aired issues with the club's lack of ambition late in the Scot's tenure.
Rooney has since claimed that Ferguson's exit was down to the fact he knew the club were set for a period in the wilderness. He said previously: "Alex Ferguson knew where the club was going and he got out of there as quick as he could, and they’re still picking up the pieces now."
City now sit head and shoulders above their rivals, who would finish seventh in the year after Ferguson left. On that occasion, they were 22 points off their local rivals. Last term they finished sixth and were forced to endure a 35-point gulf to City, who won a fifth title since Ferguson's departure.
Guy Mowbray, the BBC commentator, summed it up perfectly when the camera panned to Ferguson's dismayed expression on Sunday: "He was asked in 2009 if City could ever go into a derby as favourites. He said not in my lifetime, now, it's every time."
