Manchester City demolished Chelsea 6-0 few hours ago at the Etihad Stadium to go top of the Premier League, although they have played one more game than rivals and closest competitors Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola’s side were perfect all-game, and Manchester United and their fans will keep wondering what would have been had the Spaniard replaced Sir Alex Ferguson as manager in 2013.
The Red Devils have struggled to compete in the top-flight since, with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho all failing to get the job done.
Guardiola has won one title in two seasons in England and City are regarded as favourites to pip Liverpool to the prize this term.
The Spaniard will surely have done a good job at Old Trafford, but former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has revealed he was against him succeeding Ferguson because of his boring tiki-taka style of play.
“He (Guardiola) would have been a good choice, but at the time, and I’ve to hold my hands up, I was quite vocal about not wanting Pep,” the legendary goalie said on beIN SPORTS.
“I made a case for it and said as Manchester United, this is what we’re, this who we are, this is how we play, and you can track that back to forever really. All of our history. But Pep has his certain way. It had to be like this, we don’t want tackling, possession is more important, and I didn’t like those statements, but I think Pep has changed completely, he’s grown into a different person since he was at Barcelona.
“He brought all his academy players into the first-team and made this incredible Barcelona team. It was brilliant to watch but boring a little bit. But I thought Manchester United were more exciting, we’re more direct, we play with wingers, we play with speed we cross the ball in, we hit it long. We do everything.”
“I was quite vocal about not wanting Pep”
Surprising admission from @Pschmeichel1, who didn’t want Guardiola to be #MUFC manager when #SirAlex Ferguson left!#beINPL pic.twitter.com/5KHbOBMhzF
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 10, 2019
During Ferguson’s 26 years with Manchester United, the Scottish legend won 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles, and without a doubt, Pep, who denied him two more Champions League titles would have been a perfect replacement.
The 48-year-old has won three league titles with Barcelona, three with Bayern Munich and one with City.
He won the Champions League twice with the Spanish giants and has picked up 23 major trophies since starting his managerial career in 2008.
It remains to be seen if United fans would have preferred retaining their style of play over winning major silverware, but interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has brought back the team’s style, and many will back him to land the permanent job going forward.
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