‘Winning this derby means winning title’

Hype, hyperbole and hyperventilation; expect it all at the Etihad Stadium tonight because, as Manchester United winger Nani has explained, an entire season can be decided in 90 minutes and that makes the 2012 Manchester derby potentially the greatest in the fixture’s 131-year history.

Even Alex Ferguson, not a man known for over-blown statements or generous praise, has spent the last few days building a case that the impending match between City and United, which could decide the Premier League title, is the biggest of all time.

The theme has been picked up by national newspapers — and by satellite television channels — to such an extent that some have even suggested this could be the biggest match in English football history.