To put things simply, if both City and United win their next five games, City's first chance ot win the title will come when the two sides face each other at the Etihad at the start of April.
Were City to win that game, they would secure the Premier League title with five games of the season remaining and with a victory over their bitter rivals.
The issue is, for such a situation to arise both sides must win their next five games and whilst City certainly look capable of such a feat, United's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday would suggest they are not.
City's run-in until derby day is as follows: Arsenal (A), Chelsea (H), Stoke (A), Brighton (H) and Everton (A). United, on the other hand, face: Chelsea (H), Crystal Palace (A), Liverpool (H), West Ham (A) and Swansea (H).
Those 10 games will no doubt be 10 of the most intense of the season, with the potential for a title-deciding derby at the end of them.
As things stand, it appears that the title is City's, there only question is where they will win it.