HONOUR & Brucie backs Guardiola to roar back just like Fergie
Today, 6.30pm, BBC One
STEVE BRUCE insists Pep Guardiola will react with fiery determination after losing the title – just like his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Newcastle chief Bruce was Fergie’s Manchester United captain when they won the inaugural Premier League in 1993 ending a run of 26 years without the title.
But when they lost their crown to Blackburn Rovers two years later, Ferguson vowed to win it back – and did.
And Bruce believes Spanish boss Guardiola is just like Ferguson in his pursuit of trophies.
“I’m sure it will be the same because they are both serial winners,” he said.
“When they are disappointed, when they have lost the league and not been able to retain it, they will react to it.
“Pep will be feeling the same way Sir
Alex did but with Liverpool winning it so early, and by so many points, it will be tough.
“Pep will be looking at it over the next few weeks and seeing where they can get better – and that’s why the Premier League is so difficult.
“Who would have thought it would take Liverpool 30 years after winning it in 1990?
“If you’d told me that then I would have said you couldn’t even write it.
“And I know how winning that Holy Grail feels. It had been 26 years when we won it at United and before that the longer it went on the harder it got. The first one was always the difficult one.
“It wasn’t the Premier League then but I remember in 1992 when we had a lead at the top and famously took the water in and lost it. But it made us better for the next year. The first one is always most difficult so for Liverpool to get that off their back after 30 years will be relief.
“And when you see the team and manager they’ve got and what they’ve done then you can only just applaud them.” Bruce hailed Guardiola as one of the top managers in the business and added: “I don’t think there’s any disputing that this fella is up there with the very best. He is so passionate about everything. To me that’s the beauty of him. “Whether it’s at Barcelona or Bayern Munich or Man City he just plays a certain way which is very, very difficult to play against but very, very good to watch. “He’d do a pretty good job managing Newcastle – that’s how good he is.” Bruce knows City will be brooding over Liverpool’s wild title celebrations – and dangerous opponents at St James’ Park in tonight’s quarter-final.
But although City are huge favourites, Geordie boss Bruce believes his men have some weapons to attack Guardiola’s stars. “We’ve got the capability with Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin (left). “He can cause any defender problems because of his natural ability,” he said. “The one thing you have to do is cause them problems. “Of course you need that resilience but at the top end of the pitch we do have some players who can do some damage.”