For years, Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t have to think about Manchester City. While his Manchester United team generally got their own way in the 1990s and 2000s, his rivals were flapping and floundering—sometimes they were in the same division, sometimes they weren’t even on the radar as City embarked on a tour of the football league system.
After several years of just existing in the top flight, City were given the opportunity to truly revolutionise the club. Investment from Sheikh Mansour into both the team and the facilities in East Manchester meant they were back on the radar.