Man City have become big enough in six years to be able to spend more than any other club in the world on transfers (net) and pay wages similar to clubs with worldwide commercial appeal, all on the back of their own, genuine commercial deals.
City fans have actually convinced themselves of this.
City now have higher revenues than Chelsea and Arsenal, and are close to the levels of Madrid, Barca and United. That's the benefit of their huge global and domestic fan base, as well as their recent domination in Europe.
Let's face it, they'd have posted more if not for wanting to make it look even more ridiculous to be closer than they are to United.