GUNNERS SHOULD HAVE GOT PEP IN

Fans look back in anger after missing boat

MANCHESTER CITY fan Noel Gallagher once urged people not to look back in anger – but Arsenal’s followers have been left with no choice.

If things had been different, if Gunners owner Stan Kroenke had shown more vision, Pep Guardiola could have been in their technical area for the Carabao Cup Final instead of Arsene Wenger.

Guardiola grew up a disciple of Wenger’s and says he loved some of the football his sides produced.

The Spaniard travelled to Wenger’s home in 2001 and begged the Frenchman to sign him.

Wenger refused, but can be forgiven because at the time he had no idea Guardiola was such a pioneer who could have gone on to become an invaluable asset to the Gunners. But Kroenke has no excuse. The whole world knew what a managerial genius Guardiola was when the annual debate about Wenger’s future raised its ugly head again in 2016.

Guardiola had let it be known he was leaving Bayern Munich and wanted to work in English football.

He seemed the perfect fit for the Emirates, where Wenger resembled a squatter refusing to leave the place he stubbornly continues to call home.

Guardiola is built for a club like the Gunners and would have been more than capable of enhancing Wenger’s work by taking them to that next level.

Instead, Kroenke allowed Wenger more time to continue demolishing his own legacy.

Guardiola chose Manchester instead and looks capable of creating a dynasty that could one day end up eclipsing anything Wenger has achieved here.

Slam

Having been rejected by Wenger all those years ago, Guardiola had his chance to slam the door in his rival’s face and he took it with both hands to land his first English trophy.

This was like a coming together of the past and present and it turned out to be a humiliating experience for the man who once revolutionised English football.

Time waits for no man and the likes of Guardiola are now leaving the likes of Wenger behind, choking on his dust.

When City made it 3-0 with more than 20 minutes remaining, Guardiola was the last man standing