A clash between supposedly the two most expensive line-ups in history overseen by two of the most decorated coaches will end the phoney war and ignite the Premier League season for real when Manchester United host Manchester City on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho’s United and City, under the command of his old adversary Pep Guardiola, have enjoyed 100 percent starts as tens of millions of pounds worth of summer buys bed in.
But much more will be known about their title-winning credentials when the final whistle sounds on the lunchtime kickoff at Old Trafford.
From the moment the fixture list was published in June, the continuation of the often frosty and occasionally volatile Mourinho-Guardiola rivalry has been eagerly-anticipated.
The chance to land an early blow in the first seismic clash of the season will be irresistible.
Both clubs chronically under-achieved last season – City finishing above United on goal difference in fourth.
But after installing serial trophy hunters in the respective managerial hotseats and making a splurge of signings both have won their opening three games and moods have been transformed.
Mourinho spent upwards of 145 million pounds ($193.58 million) in the close season signing the likes of Paul Pogba while Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who once dubbed Guardiola a ‘spineless coward’, joined for free after leaving Paris St Germain.
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