Manchester Football Derby

I’m completely confused by the game Ferguson & Mancini are playing (before the match is anywhere near starting!): Mancini says, “We’ll lose” and Ferguson ‘concedes’ that “Manchester United have given Manchester City the initiative”. Never heard of a top flight team putting their hands up before a huge match and saying, ‘we’re going to lose’. Is this an unbelievably subtle game of mental cat and mouse between the two managers or is this a combined marketing agreement to build up the hype or ? http://www.sportspages.com/football/football_photographs/action_press/manchester_united_v_manchester_city_1961_3517j?search&q=manchester+city