Sunday 10 December 2017 16:34, UK
Ryan Giggs believes Manchester City have to start winning trophies again to be regarded as a bigger club than Manchester United, ahead of Derby Day on Sky Sports Premier League.
Leaders City will look to extend their eight-point gap at the top of the Premier League when taking on second-place United on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15pm. Pep Guardiola's side are odds-on favourites to clinch a first title since 2014, but face their biggest test of the season when travelling to Old Trafford.
And speaking on The Debate, Giggs believes a lack of honours means City cannot yet be compared to his former club United, with whom he won 13 Premier League titles.
Asked if City are now the biggest club in Manchester, Giggs replied: "No. There are more academy players coming through at United than there are at City. United won two trophies last year, and City haven't won any for a couple of years.
"They are obviously very good, and with the spending power that they have got, every year they get closer, but still United, with the record that they have got, to go with the top manager and the top players, are still on top, but the gap is closing.
"With that spending power, and the coach that they have got, they will be very difficult to stop them over the next couple of years, because they are playing unbelievable football.
"But until you win that trophy, you can't start comparing them to Arsenal's Invincibles or other teams who have won the Premier League."
Phil Neville was also complimentary of City's current crop, but insisted City are in the early days of building a great side.
"They are still putting those building blocks in place," Neville said. "They are dominating and, at this moment in time, they are the best team,in Europe, they are playing the best football, but you have to measure success on winning trophies.
"They have a fantastic training ground, an academy that can produce top players, but not in great numbers. These are the sort of things where they need to match United. Winning trophies is how this team will be defined."
