‘SIR JIM’S BIG TALK DOESN’T BOTHER US’

PEP GUARDIOLA is backing Sir Jim Ratcliffe to revive the fortunes of Manchester United but says his champions are not going anywhere.

The Manchester City boss, preparing for this evening’s trip to Bournemouth, was responding to comments from the new United supremo who poured praise on the Blues and vowed to knock them off their perch. Guardiola returned the compliments to Ratcliffe but insisted he is not worried.

He said: “It’s not about being worried. I’m pretty sure with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the other people that United are going to take a step forwards.

“I feel that they know exactly what they have to do, appoint the people they need to appoint with their experience in the business world to make projects better.

“But that is normal. It’s not just United. All the teams want it. We want to be there. As long as I’m here, we will try to be there again. What I want is Man City, my team, being there. The rest, I don’t care.

“With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho they were second, I would say not close like Liverpool have been but they were there. “Always, since I arrived on day one, I always expect United to be there, with their history and traditions.

“I don’t know why it didn’t happen. I guess they know why. It is their business not ours. What we want is to be there for ourselves .” Guardio la also claimed that Erik ten Hag and other United managers have not been to blame for the club’s dysfunction.

He said: “You don’t have success if all the elements of the club are not together, it’s impossible.

“People think it comes from the manager because he’s talking here six times a week. That is insane. It makes no sense.

“People believe it comes from here, but it comes from choosing the right departments, the best people with the same idea. And after that, the rest is work, work and work.”