How Pep Guardiola turned Old Trafford into Man City’s playground and Man United’s nightmare
The Manchester City manager now has seven wins away at Old Trafford and has widened the gulf to such an extend that a 3-0 victory feels unremarkable
There may come a point, perhaps next season, when Pep Guardiola emulates Ralf Rangnick. Which, wonderfully as the godfather of gegenpressing, the frenetic football philosophy that changed how European football was played over the last decade, has done with Austria, probably would not be taken as a compliment in Manchester. Except for the issue of how he draws level with an unsuccessful caretaker: Rangnick mustered eight wins as a manager at Old Trafford. Guardiola is now up to seven, and he has never managed Manchester United.
But the Theatre of Dreams seems transformed into his playground. Sir Alex Ferguson hoped it would be when he tried to woo Guardiola over dinner in New York in 2012; though his aim was to persuade the Catalan to become his successor, not United’s nemesis.
Manchester City have five league titles to United’s none in his seven years in England, an average of 19 points between them every season and a nine-point advantage already in this one. The gulf has been wider than the 4.5 miles that separate Old Trafford from the Etihad Stadium; it is so pronounced that a 3-0 win at United’s home feels unremarkable. There are measures of the differences between the clubs: since the start of the 2021-22 season, United’s goal difference in the Premier League is plus 10. City’s is plus 149.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments