Erik ten Hag can get Manchester United back to the top of English football if he is given time and the right resources, Pep Guardiola says.
The Dutchman won the Carabao Cup, reached the FA Cup final and finished third in his first season with United but has endured a disappointing start to this campaign, currently sitting eighth in the Premier League with five wins and four defeats from the first nine games heading into the Manchester derby.
But Guardiola, who has overseen City’s dominance over United in recent years, says his club’s rivals can still get back to the top of English football with ten Hag in charge.
“Maybe not in the way that Sir Alex Ferguson controlled because I think in that moment there were two or three teams,” the Manchester City boss explained.
“Now there are more with a lot of incredible managers. Maybe not in that way but they will if they take good decisions, like I said many times, with the hierarchy, the sport director, the manager and the players with the same ideas.
“Man United, still when something happens they are in the highlights all day. It’s the reputation and the prestige that they have.
“Always, when it clicks with the right decisions, when it happens they will be there.
“It’s nine games. It takes time. United able to win four, five, six games in a row? Yeah. If they do that, they will be on top. They will be there. It takes time.
“Leave the manager to do the job. Here they allowed me to do it in my first season when we didn’t win and after we analysed what happened, we had ten or 11 players more than 30-years-old and we said okay, we have to bring energy and quality, do it and invest.
“Like United, like all the teams, and they support me. It’s the same. Give time to the managers and they will do it.”
City have won five out of the last seven Manchester derbies heading into Sunday’s game and have finished above their rivals in the Premier League table in each of the last ten seasons.
And Guardiola says City’s sustained success over United under his management gives him great satisfaction.
“Absolutely, and the most is the fact that it’s not one year where we do it, something good,” he said.
“How many years? That makes me more happy, so happy as a manager, going to Young Boys in Switzerland on an artificial pitch and perform like we performed.
“It’s not easy. I assure you that. It’s not easy to do what we have done.”
