Expect fireworks in 50th Manchester derby, says Guardiola
● Pep Guardiola is of the view that Manchester United have an aggressive attack and will pose a difficult challenge to his Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in today’s derby in the Premier League.
City are top of the table on 66 points after 27 matches, while rivals United are fourth on 47 points.
Despite the gap in points between the teams, Guardiola said he expected a competitive derby. City are looking to complete a league double over United after winning 2-0 in their last league meeting in November.
“United, upfront and in the middle, have experience with Pogba and Matic, incredible energy with Fred, speed on the sides,” Guardiola told reporters. “Central defenders, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof... all of them are experienced. I see this, I don’t see 19 points behind. They are more aggressive upfront, the moments they are intense, they drop and the boys at the side are deep runners. They have qualities.”
The City manager also heaped praise on United’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick: “The work he did in Germany is exceptional... He came here and you start to see some patterns of what he wants to do.”
City have been handed a blow with defender Ruben Dias ruled out for four to six weeks due to a hamstring injury, while Nathan Ake will also miss today’s game, the 50th Manchester derby in the Premier League.
“In other seasons, our best players have been out for months. I’d love him (Dias), but he’s not there, I won’t cry. It is what it is,” Guardiola said. “We have decent players available. We have 14-15 players. With these players we are going to fight and try to play well.”
Rangnik believes City have a clear identity in place for the club to be successful and the structure is something United should aspire to develop in the next two years.
City have won three Premier League titles since Guardiola took charge in 2016 and are on course for a fourth with a six-point lead at the top of the standings while United have not claimed the trophy since 2013.
“Guardiola has a clear idea of how he wants to play,” said Rangnick. “This idea is the headline for everything that happens at the club
— recruitment, players they will sign or, at one stage, sell. This is the secret behind their success. They have a clear corporate identity and this is their guideline for everything that they do. That is for new players and staff members.
“This is what all top clubs in Europe have in common and this is something that needs to be developed and improved at Manchester United in the next couple of years.”
Rangnick, who has faced Guardiola before in the Bundesliga, said the Spaniard and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp were “two of the best coaches in Europe”.
He said: “We know that we are playing against one of, if not the, best teams in the world. They have developed well since he (Guardiola) arrived here.
“The same happened at Bayern Munich and Barcelona... We know what they are all about. It will be about a lot of tactical discipline, defensive work... and taking our chances.”
Rangnick said Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani could return to the team after recovering from a groin problem while he also touched upon improving Marcus Rashford’s form. Rashford scored 21 goals in all competitions last season but has found the net only five times this season after returning from shoulder surgery.
“There are a few things that have happened in the last few weeks and months that could have not been foreseen by anyone,” Rangnick said. “Marcus has got abundant talent, he has got pace, physicality — everything you need as a modern striker. I will put all my energy into helping him take the same pathway as everyone else in the last few months.”