Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has said that Man City have overtaken his former club as the dominant force of English football.
Butt, who is currently the head of Manchester United‘s academy system, was one of millions of onlookers on Sunday as Pep Guardiola’s Man City side comfortably dismantled their Manchester rivals, dispatching of the Red Devils 3-1 at the Etihad.
The win saw City open up a 12 point lead over the Old Trafford based club after just 12 Premier League matches, and while United may well be the bigger side historically, Nicky Butt has admitted that the Citizens have overtaken United as the ‘biggest club,’ in Manchester.
“For Manchester United now we have got a challenge on to get back to where we want to be, which is the biggest club in the country, but also in the city,” Butt told the Premier League Sports Network event.
“That challenge is there for the owners, the board, the manager and the club in general to be where we want to be. And, to be honest, we have got a challenge on our hands to get there.”
Butt, born in the Manchester suburb of Gorton, has also described Man City’s infrastructure as ‘very impressive’, and said that their next challenge must be winning the Champions League.
“I remember in the local area when the rumours started about them buying a lot of land in the east Manchester area and looking to build this massive complex, like a little mini city within the city, and you don’t think it is going to happen,” he said.
“Before you know it, it’s there and you think ‘very impressive.’
“It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but you’ve got to admit it is an impressive place to be. And they are winning things.
“Their next challenge is the European Cup because, until you win the Champions League, you can’t really be compared to the best teams in Europe. That’s their next challenge.”