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.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
