Impossible to say if they were even interested in some of our signings(they mocked the Silva, Yaya and Aguero deals) but isn't a better point that if not City, then it would be someone else spending more to build the best squad? If not Chelsea, then United, if not United then Liverpool or Arsenal, that's the way it's always been since the 60s. What is the point it pretending that football would be any better in any of those scenarios? Since City still have one of the lowest club record signings among the Euro elite clubs it's pretty obvious the transfer market wouldn't be much different either, City are nowhere near the top inflators of the transfer market.
It's also a fact that the first decade of the PL was one of the least competitive on record, in terms on names on the title and the amount of teams in the top 4 I'd reckon too.