Peter Schmeichel Manchester United
Peter Schmeichel admitted he does not know what to expect from Manchester United in the derbyReuters

When Peter Schmeichel was in goal for Manchester United, there really was only one successful club in Manchester, with the current English Premier League champions Manchester City nowhere near the standard that they have found at the moment.

Schmeichel never lost a Manchester Derby while playing for Manchester United, but the legendary goalkeeper believes things have changed a little of late.

Manchester United only finished seventh last season, while Manchester City went on to win their second Premier League title in three years, and as far as Schmeichel is concerned, City, at the moment, are the bigger club.

"Man City are the champions, they won their second Premier League title last season and maybe, at the moment, they are a bigger club than Manchester United in terms of results, so the significance has changed," said Schmeichel to BBC Sport.

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Schmeichel, who played for Manchester City in the final year of his career, did not quite feel the rivalry with City during his time with United, as they just weren't that big a club at that time.

However, the Danish goalkeeper admitted things have now changed. "In my first couple of years at United I didn't understand the rivalry with City," said Schmeichel. "Liverpool and Leeds were much bigger. Now it's different."

Manchester United head to the Etihad to take on the champions in what promises to be a cannot-miss-it Manchester Derby, and Schmeichel admitted he cannot predict what will happen on Sunday.

"The derby is a tricky one for United because of their inconsistency," added the big Dane. "We don't know what we will get on Sunday."

City are four points ahead of Manchester United after nine games in the English Premier League, but the latter will go into the Manchester Derby with a little more confidence. Manchester City suffered their second straight defeat on Wednesday, ending their defence of the Capital One Cup title with a 2-0 reverse to Newcastle, and that too at the Etihad.

That loss came on the back of a shock defeat at West Ham last weekend, and Manchester United will certainly take confidence from the fact that their opponents are not playing their best football and the fact that Louis Van Gaal's men managed to draw league leaders Chelsea in their last Premier League match in dramatic fashion.