Punching below their weight
UNITED DESTINED TO STAY AS CHUMPS NOT CHAMPS
THE TWO best sides in English football will collide at The Etihad tonight in what should be a blockbuster showcasing the best league in the world.
That’s the theory anyway. For the past few weeks Manchester United have been City’s closest challengers – but the problem for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is that the game is played on grass instead of paper. If this showdown was a boxing scrap it would be declared a mismatch before the first bell was sounded.
Fighting out of the blue corner is the footballing equivalent of Muhammad Ali – a team full of poise, speed, panache and lethal combinations that leave rivals on the canvas unable to get up. Fighting out of the red corner will be the footballing equivalent of Joe Bugner – a team capable of the odd knockout blow, but one that is also out of shape, mediocre and believing it is much better than it is.
City have Ruben Dias in defence, while United have Victor Lindelof. City have Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan pulling the strings in midfield while United have Fred and Nemanja Matic. In attack, City can cope without recordscorer Sergio Aguero, while United are flogging Marcus Rashford to death. The trip across town might be a short one for Solskjaer, but he will be entering a different world to the one he is familiar with. One where success is both expected and delivered by a side supremely coached, with a relentless hunger to keep on improving and winning trophies.
The gulf in class between these neighbours is staggering – and the brutal truth is that Solskjaer is living through a nightmare in Manchester.
If City are not winning the title then Liverpool are, United’s two biggest rivals when it comes to tradition, history and geography. It couldn’t get any worse. Pep
Guardiola’s side are destined for greatness, but few people know where United are destined for.
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward appears unconcerned, however and claimed this week he was optimistic about United’s chances of success in the future, that the progress the team was making under Solskjaer was clear.
At the same time Woodward was announcing club revenues of £281million, managing director Richard Arnold was bragging that United women’s Instagram account had more followers than nine Premier League clubs, while all three men’s kits achieved record launch-day sales.
Poignant indeed and supporters must be delighted. But here are some more facts United bosses are less keen to boast about.
United have spent £1billion on talent since 2013 but not come close to winning the title or Champions League. Last season United finished the season 33 points behind Liverpool and currently trail City by 14.
Progress is not reaching semi-finals and losing. How can it be when Jose Mourinho reached two finals and won them both before being replaced by Solskjaer, who has now been in charge since 2018 but is still staring doe-eyed into an empty cabinet?
In that same time, City and Liverpool have won nine trophies between them, with Guardiola still on course to add a historic four more to his loot this season alone.
Manchester used to be red, but the dynasty Sir Alex Ferguson once built has crumbled and the place in now blue. United used to be the best team in the world, but these days they aren’t even the best team in their own city. Not even close.