SPORTS

Manchester derby: United and City clash set to ignite season

September 08, 2016 12:52 IST

‘He is the mastermind, the masterbrain’

IMAGE: Fans prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images.

A clash between supposedly the two most expensive lineups in history overseen by two of the most decorated coaches will end the phoney war and ignite the Premier League season for real when Manchester United host Manchester City on Saturday.

Mourinho vs Guardiola: The rivalry set to recommence

Jose Mourinho's United and City, under the command of his old adversary Pep Guardiola, have enjoyed 100 percent starts as tens of millions of pounds worth of summer buys bed in.

But much more will be known about their title-winning credentials when the final whistle sounds on the lunchtime kickoff at Old Trafford.

From the moment the fixture list was published in June, the continuation of the often frosty and occasionally volatile Mourinho-Guardiola rivalry has been eagerly-anticipated.

The chance to land an early blow in the first seismic clash of the season will be irresistible.

Both clubs chronically under-achieved last season -- City finishing above United on goal difference in fourth.

But after installing serial trophy hunters in the respective managerial hotseats and making a splurge of signings both have won their opening three games and moods have been transformed.

Mourinho spent upwards of 145 million pounds ($193.58 million) in the close season signing the likes of Paul Pogba while Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who once dubbed Guardiola a 'spineless coward', joined for free after leaving Paris St Germain.

IMAGE: Fans show their support for Jose Mourinho. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

"He is the mastermind, the masterbrain," Ibrahimovic said of Mourinho, who he played for at Inter Milan.

"He knows what he needs to do to win."

Guardiola has spent around 175 million revamping City's creaking side with English defender John Stones and German winger Leroy Sane among those added to their already expensive ranks.

While City's Sergio Aguero will be suspended and Sane injured, the two starting lineups are likely to feature six of the 12 most expensive players in English football history with the total value of the 22 to line up expected to be around 600 million pounds.

IMAGE: Manchester City fans display banners in support of Josep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images.

It should produce the kind of spectacle to justify the hype surrounding this year's Premier League in which Chelsea, under new coach Antonio Conte, are also 100 percent after three games.

But the cameras will not only be aimed at the galaxy of talent on the pitch. What happens in the respective dugouts will be equally engrossing as Guardiola and Mourinho cross swords again, having been involved in some epic past skirmishes.

On the pitch former Barcelona boss Guardiola has usually mastered Mourinho -- losing only three of their 16 meetings.

Mourinho more than held his own off it though -- regularly riling Guardiola with his barbed comments.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Recommended by Rediff.com

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email