Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick recognised the gulf between the Red Devils and Premier League leaders Manchester City after doubles from Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez inflicted a 4-1 derby defeat on Sunday.
City re-established a six-point lead at the top of the table over Liverpool and opened up a 22-point advantage over United, whose chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season are fading fast.
Rangnick’s men now trail Arsenal, who also have three games in hand, by a point in fourth.
“It is a difficult game that shows we have a long way to go to close that gap,” said the German.
“Everyone knows how good they are. They are one of the top teams in the world and there is a gap between the two teams.”
At the top of the table, Liverpool also have a game in hand to reduce City’s advantage to three points.
But Pep Guardiola’s men responded to the pressure applied by the Reds’ seven-game winning run in the league by bouncing back from two sub-par performances against Tottenham and Everton.
Just as in their meeting at Old Trafford earlier in the season, City cruised to victory as they secured just a second league double over their local rivals since an Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008 swung the balance of power in Manchester.
Former United captain Roy Keane accused some United players of “giving up” and claimed they should not play for the club again.
And Guardiola summed up the difference in desire as well as quality between the teams.
“The biggest success for me as a manager is that after three Premier League titles is that still we run like we run, and are there to try (to win the league) again,” he said.
United were without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani in attack, but it was defenders Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw, missing due to positive cases of coronavirus, whose presence was most keenly missed.
Arsenal back in Top 4
Bukayo Saka starred as Arsenal leapfrogged Manchester United into the Premier League top four on Sunday with a 3-2 win at struggling Watford.
Martin Odegaard struck early for the visitors before Cucho Hernandez equalised with a stunning overhead kick minutes later but England star Saka restored Arsenal’s lead in an entertaining first half.
Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli made it 3-1 early in the second half and the Gunners held out for a crucial win despite a late goal from Moussa Sissoko.
The victory lifted Mikel Arteta’s men into fourth place in the Premier League – one point ahead of United, who were in action in the later kick-off against leaders Manchester City.
Arteta, whose team started the season with three straight league defeats, said it was “very pleasing” to be in the top four, although he felt the win should have been more comfortable.
“We know how difficult it is to be in this position in this league,” he told Sky Sports. “We’ve earned it - we have come a long way as a team.”
Arteta was asked about the role he played in the build-up to Arsenal’s third goal – he grabbed the ball when it went out of play and quickly passed it to Saka, who launched the ultimately decisive move with a throw-in.
Arsenal jokingly awarded their manager an assist on their Twitter feed.
“I saw an advantage and I took it,” said Arteta. “We have to be alive and that is the way I live the game. I try to instil that in the team as well.”