Pep Guardiola has often tried to stay respectful when speaking about neighbours Manchester United throughout his time as Manchester Metropolis supervisor, however earlier this season the masks slipped only a fraction.
When requested about potential Premier League title rivals this season, he listed Arsenal after which Liverpool earlier than being interrupted by a reporter who stated: Manchester United? The smirk that crept throughout Guardiola’s face on the suggestion gave the sport away. The uncomfortable fact for United is that Guardiola’s response is justified.
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In his seven full seasons on the Etihad Stadium, he is gained 5 titles and one other eight main trophies. Final season alone he gained the identical quantity (three) as United have managed in complete since he arrived in England in 2016. Guardiola has confronted challenges from Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, however they’ve not often come from United.
Talking at his first Metropolis information convention greater than seven years in the past, Guardiola advised supporters to “fasten your seat belts” however it was onerous to think about then simply how far they’ve raced in entrance of their rivals.
Erik ten Hag is the most recent United supervisor tasked with making up the bottom however forward of the primary Manchester derby of the season at Previous Trafford on Sunday, the hole between the 2 groups feels as massive as ever.
At a information convention on Friday, Guardiola was requested about United as potential title contenders and, as typical, he tried to be courteous. “It is too early,” he stated. “On a regular basis once you get the fixtures [in June], United are a contender. Once you play simply 9 video games, many issues can occur from my expertise. We have now been behind with just a few factors in February and March and have been capable of win on the finish. Ask me a query with 9 video games left. The groups which might be somewhat bit behind 1698595201 might be there.”
However in case you consider the bookmakers, United aren’t even shut. Metropolis are favourites to win a file fourth title in a row this season, whereas United, who’ve misplaced 4 of their first 9 video games, are seventh within the betting behind Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa.
As he prepares for Sunday’s derby, the excellent news for Ten Hag is that United have a decent file in opposition to Guardiola, successful seven of 19 conferences in all competitions, however the head-to-head file would not inform the story of Metropolis’s total dominance.
Since Guardiola arrived, United have by no means completed forward of Metropolis within the Premier League and twice (in 2018-19 and 2021-22) completed greater than 30 factors behind. Throughout seven years since 2016, United have completed a median of 20 factors behind their neighbours domestically, whereas in Europe, they’ve gained one Champions League knockout tie (in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019) to Metropolis’s 12.
Metropolis have reached not less than semifinals of the Champions League in every of the previous three seasons. United, in the meantime, have not been previous the quarterfinals for greater than a decade. In his “fasten your seatbelts” information convention on his first day as Metropolis supervisor, Guardiola was requested thrice concerning the problem of getting an enormous soccer membership just some miles up the highway however, whether or not he desires to confess it or not, he is barely needed to give United a second thought since.
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Nicol warns Man United: Man Metropolis are due for an enormous win
Steve Nicol explains why he is backing Manchester Metropolis to win massive at Previous Trafford within the Premier League on Sunday.
A yr into his job, Ten Hag believes they’re beginning to shut the hole. They beat Metropolis, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Barcelona final season however the issue, the Dutch supervisor says, is discovering the consistency that Guardiola has managed to domesticate.
“On this second we’re six factors again so we’ve got to catch up,” Ten Hag stated on Friday. “We’re in the proper course and we’ve got a technique to go.” The fear for United followers is that their membership has not often acquired it proper off the pitch, so they’re unlikely to problem on it.
Metropolis have run into their very own issues and are nonetheless preventing greater than 100 fees associated to breaches of the Premier League’s monetary guidelines however their recruitment of gamers over the previous decade has been largely profitable whereas United’s switch coverage has typically bordered on chaos. United’s internet spend on transfers since 2014 stands at $1.48 billion, whereas Metropolis’s is $916 million. It is not that Metropolis have spent extra money, it is simply that they’ve executed it higher.
As United confirmed with a 2-1 win in January, all that goes out of the window in a derby and regardless of a poor begin to the season, Ten Hag will really feel {that a} Metropolis crew which have misplaced three of their previous six video games and have not stored a clear sheet for greater than a month have vulnerabilities he can exploit.
The larger success, nevertheless, can be closing the hole for greater than only a one-off recreation and eventually wiping the smile off Guardiola’s face.