Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester City are like a "little brother" who will never take their "big brother's" place.
Ambitious City have spent big in recent years to compete with their rivals, the 19-time English champions.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer"Manchester United have always stood up again and bounced back, it's just in the DNA."
City pipped their neighbours to last season's Premier League title but, ahead of Sunday's derby at Etihad Stadium, United top the table.
And Solskjaer warned: "When you get disappointments you bounce back."
Speaking to Football Focus, Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances in an 11-year career at Old Trafford, said: "It's always this thing about being the big brother and the little brother coming to try to overtake the big brother.
City's £20m plus signings
Sergio Aguero (£38m, Atletico Madrid, August 2011).
Robinho (£32.5m, Real Madrid, September 2008).
Edin Dzeko (£27m, Wolfsburg, January 2011).
David Silva (£26m, Valencia, June 2010).
James Milner (£26m, Aston Villa, July 2010).
Carlos Tevez (£25.5m, July 2009).
Emmanuel Adebayor (£25m, Arsenal, July 2009).
Samir Nasri (£24m, Arsenal, August 2011).
Mario Balotelli (£24m, Inter Milan, July 2010).
Yaya Toure (£24m, Barcelona, July 2010).
"That always happens in families and in clubs - the young player hoping to take the old player's position - and City are hoping to overtake United. I don't think they'll ever be able to."
Solskjaer, who now manages Norwegian champions Molde, exemplified his former side's will to win when scoring the injury-time goal that captured the 1999 Champions League crown for United in a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich.
And he said United would show that character again to stop City's resurgence, pointing to a solid start in the Premier League. "The start of this season has been good, not brilliant, but United are always improving throughout the season," he said.
"Man United have over the years, and through their history, won in dramatic fashion and in the club's history you've had so many disappointments, like the [Munich air] disaster, and they have always stood up again and bounced back, it's just in the DNA."
United are three points clear at the top of the Premier League, although manager Sir Alex Ferguson has said he is concerned with his side's recent defensive form.
City remain undefeated in the league so far this season but have been knocked out of European competition following a poor Champions League campaign.
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