United demolished Premier League rivals Arsenal 8-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday, showing why they remain the team to beat. The Champions and Community Shield Winners are going from strength to strength, with a mix of new signings, kids and experience - telling their challengers: Whatever you can do, we can do better... 

That was the line coming from United supporters in the direction of City fans following the Red Devils' 8-2 hammering of Arsenal. Just hours earlier City had recorded an impressive win against Tottenham Hotspur (5-1), but that result was put in the shade by one of the most memorable football scores we have seen in recent years. The team was everything people said they weren't last season. Youthful, dynamic, full of pace and trickery.

And United still won the league even supposedly without these things. The much-talked-about 'end-of-an-era' that came with the retirement of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Edwin Van Der Sar has been replaced, almost instantaneously, with a new one. This new generation look capable of matching the achievements of their illustrious predecessors. The emergence of Man City should also be factored into United's positive start to the season.

They are 2nd in the Premier League on goal difference with United, and are also going toe-to-toe with them in the Champions League betting. However, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spent his whole United career meeting the challenges of opposing teams head on - in fact it is one of his prime motivations. Of course, he started with the aim of knocking Liverpool 'off their perch', and something he has done with ease in recent seasons.

The Arsenal invincibles side has come and gone while the José Mourinho led, Roman Abramovich fuelled Chelsea side were also put in the shade by the Red Devils - not least in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final in Russia. Now the noisy neighbours have awoken and presented Sir Alex with his latest challenge. Their Harlem Globetrotters approach to football management has seen them buy some big name players.

They now possess a fearsome front six for starters. However, people were saying the same about Chelsea in 2003. United just have to improve once more, a culture that permeates through the club. They never know when they are beaten and always look to get better and better. City's millions may have swept past all opponents so far this season but with Fergie at the helm at Old Trafford you can guarantee United will be a much tougher nut to crack.