Bruce: Pep will be raging... just like Fergie was

STEVE BRUCE reckons Pep Guardiola will react with fiery determination after surrendering the Premier League title – just like Sir Alex Ferguson did 25 years ago.

Newcastle manager Bruce was Ferguson’s Manchester United captain when they won the inaugural Premier League in 1993, ending 26 years without the English title.

United won it again the following season, but lost their crown to Blackburn Rovers in 1995. Ferguson vowed to win it back – and did.

Bruce (right) said: “I’m sure it will be the same with Pep because they are both serial winners. When they are disappointed, when they have lost the league and not been able to retain it, they will react to that.

“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 very tough.

“Pep will be looking at it over the next few weeks and seeing where they can get better for next year – 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’d have said you couldn’t even make it up.

“And I know how winning that Holy Grail feels. It had been 26 years when we won it at United for the first time. The longer it went on the harder it got.

“The first one was always the difficult one. I remember in 1992 when we had a lead at the top and famously lost it. But it made us better for the next year.”

Bruce thinks Guardiola and his stars will be brooding over seeing Liverpool’s wild title celebrations – and be extra-dangerous opponents at St James’ Park today.

But Bruce said: “The thing you have to do is cause them some problems in defence – and we do have players who can do some damage.”