Manchester United cannot lose derby or else the title is Manchester City's, says Andrei Kanchelskis

City currently sit eight points clear the top of the Premier League table

Jose Mourinho's side face a must-win derby at Old Trafford on Sunday (Getty)

Andrei Kanchelskis believes Manchester United may as well concede the Premier League title to Manchester City if they lose the derby on Sunday.

The Russian winger is still well-remembered at Old Trafford having achieved cult hero status as part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s title-winning sides and scoring a derby hat-trick in 1994.

Kanchelskis went on to represent City later in his career, making 11 appearances while on loan from Rangers during the 2000-01 relegation season under Joe Royle.

The 48-year-old has since witnessed a power shift in Manchester football, with City currently eight points clear of United at the top of the table and on course for their third league title in seven seasons.

Jose Mourinho’s United have an opportunity to close the gap at Old Trafford this Sunday but according to Kanchelskis, three points for Pep Guardiola’s City will all but end the title race, even at this early stage of the season.

“Of course, if United can win both derbies then they will have a good chance of winning the title. But if they lose on Sunday it is finished. There will be no chance,” he said. “It will be 11 points – it is not possible. 11 points is too much.

“When I played for City, they were not the biggest club,” he said. “They were just OK and in the derby we would fight hard because United were the dominant team at the time.

“Now there is a big change. City have a new stadium and new players, new management, and you see what is happening now.

“I hope United win because they need the three points – the eight-point gap is too much at the moment. They need something special to win this game.”

Russian Winters, the autobiography of Andrei Kanchelskis (deCoubertin), is available now from the following link: www.decoubertin.co.uk/Kanchelskis