Vincent Kompany heats up Manchester derby by insisting clash ‘is most important match in world’
The Belgian international believes the fixture would still be as massive even if there was nothing riding on it
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MANCHESTER CITY captain Vincent Kompany has began stoking up the Manchester derby by claiming it is the biggest game in the world.
The Premier League leaders would open up an 11-point gap over bitter rivals United with a win at Old Trafford on Sunday.
But the Belgian international believes the fixture would still be as massive even if there was nothing riding on it.
Kompany said: "I kind of press pause when it's a derby and the season doesn't matter to me anymore, it's all about the derby.
"Managers and players do like to downplay it, but I don't care, it's rubbish.
"The derby at that moment is the most important game in the world to me.
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"It doesn't matter which position we are in, whether we need a point, three points, I don't care, we need to make sure we leave that place with our heads high."
The pressure will be high during the clash and Kompany admitted that some players do duck their heads when the going gets tough.
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Kompany added: "I think it's a natural thing to want to almost put expectations a bit lower, because it makes you feel like the pressure is perhaps easier to deal with, but in my case I am happy to deal with pressure.
"I enjoy it more than anyone else and I am happy to say that the derby is more important than any other game. I don't care what anyone says."