Manchester title showdown ‘as big as you can get’ says Ryan Giggs

RYAN Giggs admits games like tonight’s Manchester derby are the reason why he is still playing football.

Should he play some part, it will be his 908th appearance for Manchester United, an incredible 36 of which would have been against City. As a schoolboy, he trained with the Blues, and grew up in the city, so Giggs is well aware of the importance of these all-Manchester battles. But with City’s cash-injection over the past few seasons making them genuine title contenders, the derby has now taken on monumental proportions.

Indeed tonight’s match has been billed as the biggest in the history of the Premier League. “These are the sort of games which I am still involved in football for,” said Giggs, 38. “They are big, title-deciding games. Apart from cup finals this is as big as you can get.”

Three points in front but with a vastly inferior goal difference, Giggs knows defeat would see City take over at the top of the Premier League. Conversely, victory, or even a draw, would leave them on the brink of a record 20th league title. Yet Giggs insists the players cannot be drawn into such matters, as difficult as it is to avoid. “They’ve been saying for the last two or three years that every derby is the biggest ever,” he said. “With three games to go and almost being neck and neck going to the finish, there is no mistaking this is a massive game and the biggest in recent times. But as a United player, you’re used to big games.

“You have to block out all the hype and the predictions. That’s been going on all season anyway, with people saying City were going to win the title and then United. It’s hard, but you have to be professional and not let emotions get too far ahead of you. Our job is to train well and be ready to perform when kick-off comes.”

The build-up would not have been quite so feverish had United not thrown away a two-goal lead against Everton last Sunday. “We’ve had reminders throughout the season where we’ve lost games or put in poor performances and we’ve always reacted. That’s one of the reasons we’re still up there,” said Giggs. “Hopefully, after the disappointment against Everton, that’s the case again.”

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claims there have been no nerves in the build-up to tonight’s match. The Italian said: “It is impossible to be worried for Monday yet. It is football, not work. Maybe Monday morning there will be pressure, but this is normal for us or for United.”

With a trip to Newcastle and a home clash with QPR to come, Mancini says his side have the harder run-in, as United play Swansea at home and Sunderland away. He said: “Now we have this small chance, because they lost a point against Everton, but I think it will be difficult. They have one difficult game against us, then they have two easy games. They will probably get six points.”

Despite his protestations about United retaining the upper hand, Mancini insists his side will fight to the end after giving everything tonight.

He added: “I wait always until the end of the championship. We lost seven points in four games, this can happen – so also for the other team. When you play a difficult game at the end of the season you should be tired and you can lose a point anywhere. Sometimes you can lose the title in the last game or the last minute.

“But when you arrive in a final of the Champions League, Europa League or a game like this, and you play against United, you can lose. This is football, because you don’t play against a small team.”