‘They will be back’

Pep Guardiola admitted he expects Manchester United to get back to their best under the stewardship of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Billionaire Brit Ratcliffe acquired a 27.7% stake in the club and has taken over football operations as he bids to turn the club’s fortunes around on the pitch.

The 71-year-old lauded the way City play and described them as “one of the best teams on the planet.”

In response, Guardiola praised Ratcliffe’s honesty and acknowledgement of the gulf that exists between the Manchester clubs.

“It’s the truth,” Guardiola said. “As much as the teams admit it, they will be closer to us.

“If they want to deny it for things that are not the reality then it’s their problem. It’s not our problem. When I’ve been below teams I’ve always admired them and thought about what we need to do to be close, to challenge them.

“These are real competitive people. If they want to be judged on things they are comfortable with for one day they will not arrive where we are now.

“When we were below and United were winning, we were watching them, admiring them. We wanted to learn from them. The period of [Sir Alex] Ferguson and the generation with Roy Keane, with all those big players.

“I’m pretty sure City admired and thought we want to be there. Now we are there. That’s why, for these type of comments, that I have the feeling that they will be back.”

Under Guardiola, City have become arguably the best team in Europe. They clinched the Treble last season and are bidding to become the first English side to win the Premier League four times in a row.

Their success has come during a time of relative misery on the pitch for United, who haven’t lifted a domestic crown since the departure of Ferguson more than a decade ago.

There is renewed optimism, however, that Ratcliffe could be the man to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

He has already appointed former Man City chief football operations officer Omar Berrada as the new CEO, while he is reportedly on the verge of hiring a new sporting director in Dan Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle.

“It is not about [being] worried. I’m pretty sure with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the other people, United are going to make a step forward,” Guardiola added.

“I have a feeling that they know exactly what they have to do, appoint the people they need to. His experience in the business world will make the project better.

“But that is normal, all the teams want it. As long as I am here, we will try to be there again.

“I want my team, Man City, to be there, otherwise I don’t care. Only under Jose Mourinho was there a period when they were second, maybe not close like Liverpool over many years.

“But I have always expected since I arrived that United would be there for history, for tradition, for many things. Why it didn’t happen, I don’t know the reason, but I guess they know it.

“But it’s their business, not ours. We want to be there for ourselves.”

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