Pep Guardiola congratulated Manchester United on their Carabao Cup success … before teasing them about their six years without a trophy. Picking up on this theme, the City manager joked that Ten Hag can continue their resurgence “if they spend a little more money” as he expressed his surprise that they have not challenged more seriously before. And Guardiola congratulated his counterpart for lifting United to their ‘normal’ position as he welcomed an overdue challenge for supremacy in the city.
Pep Guardiola said: “Sooner or later it should happen, shouldn’t it?. It should happen. Welcome. Congratulations to United for the Carabao Cup and to Newcastle as well – the game was entertaining. If they spend a little more money, yes [they can challenge more regularly]. “It’s because they didn’t spend, isn’t it? It’s normal, they’re in the position they normally should be. The reality is that they fought against two teams in the last years – Liverpool and ourselves – that have done incredibly well in the numbers. When I landed here I thought United would always be there, for the history, for everything. Erik is doing an incredible job.”
United were thrashed 6-3 in the first derby of the season but – thanks in no small part to a controversial refereeing call – came from behind to win 2-1 at Old Trafford to build the kind of form that means they cannot be ruled out of a Premier League title challenge. The Carabao Cup was the first title that Guardiola won in England and the start of a major haul, and the City boss sees the same excitement from United as his squad had five years ago as he insisted that they had to challenge for the biggest honours in England because of who they are.
Pep Guardiola said “You see how committed the players are, how all together they try to do it. When you have been five or six years without winning one title, you have the challenge. I remember when we travelled to win our first Carabao Cup and everyone was so excited to do it. For the staff it was new, for the players it was new. The fourth time we travelled there to win the Carabao Cup for the fourth time in a row, it was ‘Well, it’s OK, another one, another day in the office.’ It’s normal. United have to be there. Having been opponents, we were always better in the previous seasons and now it’s closer. Anything can happen in the Premier League.”
