“Forget about Arsenal, they are constituting nuisance a usual, Man United are the real threat to us this season and that’s because they’ve got TWO most dangerous attackers in the world right now”: Pep Gaurdiorla says Man United are the real contenders for the Premier League title this season, names the TWO New signings that got them really stronger

HusseinSeptember 20, 2024Last Updated: September 20, 2024

0 1 minute read

{"remix_data":[],"remix_entry_point":"challenges","source_tags":["local"],"origin":"unknown","total_draw_time":0,"total_draw_actions":0,"layers_used":0,"brushes_used":0,"photos_added":0,"total_editor_actions":{},"tools_used":{"addons":1},"is_sticker":false,"edited_since_last_sticker_save":true,"containsFTESticker":false,"used_sources":{"version":1,"sources":[{"id":"411958216011211","type":"ugc"}]}}

When it comes to praising opposition players – even those wearing the red of Manchester United – Man City boss Pep Guardiola is never shy in coming forward.

Even amid the disappointment at losing last season’s FA Cup final, Guardiola found the time to call Lisandro Martinez on of the world’s ‘top five’ centre-halves.

There was also the time, before Man City recovered from Marcus Rashford’s barnstorming opener to win 3-1 at the Etihad in the spring, that the Spaniard gushed over the boundless creativity of Bruno Fernandes.

The Manchester United captain, he said, is ‘one of the best I’ve ever seen‘ when it comes to carving open opposition backlines.

This time, Fernandes made up only 33 per cent of Guardiola’s praise. Denied truly special goal by the offside flag, the Portugal playmaker helped wrestle the tide back in Man United’s favour during the third Wembley meeting between the two rivals across the last 15 months.

With Fernandes pulling the strings from his false nine role, Rashford and the electrifying Alejandro Garnacho were given the freedom to dart in behind and put their formidable pace to good use.

A relationship that should only improve once Joshua Zirkzee is leading the line.

Man City defeat Manchester United on penalties at Wembley

Guardiola admits that his Man City side struggled to cope with United’s rapid-fire counters. Only the post denied Rashford before Garnacho followed up his FA Cup opener with a fine solo effort back at the national stadium.

“We lost a lot of balls and, in transition, they are one of the best teams in the world,” Guardiola told ITV Sport at full-time. “With Rashford, with Garnacho at the end, with the connection with especially Bruno.

“They are so dangerous to control. But, in the end, we had a good action to equalise. And, in the penalties, we did it.”