With the Manchester derby looming well respected Sky Sports Soccer Saturday pundits, Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier, Paul Merson, and Charlie Nicholas wade into the debate about how in recent years the shift in power has moved from Manchester United to Pep Guardiola and his great Manchester City side.
Long gone are the days when Sir Alex Ferguson bullied the match officials into submission. And now all we see over at Old Trafford is a whimpering Jose Mourinho who, all he does is moan and groan like a 10-year-old when decisions don’t go his way.
Speaking to Sky Sports earlier today the gruesome foursome added their thoughts about why they think United are going to have to play second fiddle to their noisy neighbours for years to come.
Phil Thompson
“This is a huge problem for United, mainly due to the money Manchester City have – it’s bottomless! At least at United, it’s kind of self-financing of what they generate, but City have got a country running them. It’s harsh, but it’s the way it is.
“It’s all about cycles though, Pep, as he does, he may well be moving on in a couple of years for a new project, and there might be a new cycle – it always happens. You look at United under Fergie, but that power has dwindled since he left and they are going to struggle to get it back, so you are talking a good few years for United to try and get that power back, especially if Pep stays a while.”
Matt Le Tissier
“The way it’s looking at the moment it could be a while! The balance of power is very much at City at the moment, and with the investment, they continue to have and the manager and squad they have got than United have got a long way to go to get near them.”
Paul Merson
“Let’s be honest; City have got a much better team that United at the moment. United are a long, long, long away from City. It’s hard to say how long it’s going to take to switch the power back – years and years probably. They are so far behind that even money will not solve the problem.
“If Pep stays at City long-term, which is not a given as things can change quickly in football, then the power is with City. My slight worry with City is that there are no youngsters coming through. Phil Foden does not get a game, Jadon Sancho left – and City are not the youngest team in the world. If Pep had brought three or four kids through, then you would be thinking ‘wow,’ but they have got the ammunition to buy the ready-made player.”
Premier League top scorers
Charlie Nicholas
“Man Utd are the biggest team in the world financially so Man City have got a lot of catching up to do on that front and also in terms of history they are miles behind, and they will not catch that up for some time. I honestly do not have a timeframe for this, and as long as Man City have Pep, then I just do not see Man Utd catching up.”
Opinion
I don’t want to count my chickens, and I am nowhere near as confident as the Sky Sports lads. Yes, on current form I would say City should spank United but, I can’t help remembering last season’s corresponding fixture when we were two up and look what happened.