"Absolute nonsense" - Gary Neville rips into popular claim on Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after Premier League triumph
Manchester United legend Gary Neville dismissed the notion that any manager could have led Manchester City to a trophy-laden spell the way Pep Guardiola has done. City beat Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad to celebrate the occasion.
Guardiola led the Cityzens to Premier League glory this season, which was their fifth league win in six seasons. That got confirmed when Arsenal lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest on Saturday (May 20). City are also in the running to win the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup as they eye their first continental treble.
Neville gave Guardiola due credit, telling Sky Sports (via Manchester Evening News):
"Honestly, this suggestion that you could give any manager these players and they could go and win three (trophies) is absolute nonsense. Only the greatest managers of all time have done this type of thing through the history of the last 100 years of English football, so don’t let any of that sink into your head."
Arsenal led the Premier League for 248 days this season but lost the plot towards the end of the season. Guardiola's side were not at their best for large swathes but picked up pace when it mattered most.
About City's struggles earlier in the season, Neville said:
"There was a tinkering from the manager that definitely played a big part in it. He didn’t play with a proper back four until March, and then they started to get really good. There’s no doubt in that period they were nowhere near their level - three defeats, multiple draws."
He added:
"You don’t expect that type of run from Manchester City, and I think that’s where everybody got encouragement that Arsenal could do it this year, because of City’s run."
Can Pep Guardiola lead Manchester City to UEFA Champions League glory this season?
While Manchester City have dominated English football since Pep Guardiola's arrival, they're yet to win the UEFA Champions League. They reached the final in 2020-21, only to be beaten by Chelsea.
City have once again reached the final this season. They play Inter Milan in the final at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 3. Guardiola's side brushed aside Real Madrid in the semifinal, 5-1 on aggregate, winning the second leg 4-0 at the Etihad in midweek.
Since leaving Barcelona, Pep Guardiola is yet to win the Champions League. He failed to do so at Bayern. However, the Spaniard is on the cusp of leading City to European glory this season.