MANCHESTER: Manchester United managers come and go with disturbing regularity and Pep Guardiola has faced a few since taking charge at Manchester City 10 years ago.
On Saturday in fact, Michael Carrick becomes the sixth.
That number sums up the varying fortunes of the Manchester rivals over the past decade, with City dominating the Premier League and conquering Europe while United have lurched from one crisis to another.
Asked on Friday what the secret was to his longevity, Guardiola’s answer was brief.
“Results,” he said. “If you don’t win, you’re sacked. So, we won a lot. That’s why I’m still sitting here. There’s no other secret.”
Dominance and disarray
Guardiola has won 15 major trophies at City, including six Premier Leagues and the Champions League. This season City are still in contention for four trophies.
By contrast United crashed out of both domestic cup competitions at the earliest possible stage, are seventh in the Premier League and didn’t qualify for any European competition.
Ruben Amorim last week became the sixth permanent United manager to be dismissed since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Former player Carrick was hired this week until the end of the season while United’s hierarchy weigh up their long-term options.
Man United candidates
One of those could include Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who announced on Friday he will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season. The 51-year-old Austrian is reportedly being considered by United.
“I am looking for a new challenge,” Glasner said, adding he had not spoken to another club.
For now, Carrick has the hot seat and 17 games to make his case to stay in charge beyond this season.
“I’m eager to succeed,” he said. “We’ve got a big job to do. It’s an important job and it always is here to win games and to play well and to do it in a certain way.”
Carrick’s target
United’s priority is to secure Champions League qualification from a top four position. Should Carrick achieve that, as well as provide the type of attacking soccer the club’s fans crave, his case will be strengthened.
“We want to be top of the league ... but we’ve got to take some small steps toward that and European football would be a step forward and we’ve got to keep pushing.”
Victory against second-placed City at Old Trafford would be the perfect start for Carrick, who then has to prepare for a trip to league leader Arsenal.
Shift in balance of power
United have had to get used to living in their neighbor’s shadow since Ferguson departed.
The once dominant force in English soccer have not finished above City in the standings since taking the title in Ferguson’s final season.
Since then, City have won 18 major trophies and United five.
While United were runner-up twice to Guardiola’s City, they finished 19 and 12 points adrift each time.
“It is what it is,” said Guardiola who has experienced far more intense rivalries in England with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
“You know since day one the opinion I have of Man United. But what happened (there), I don’t know because I’m not there.”
Stats closer than you’d think
Despite City’s bulging trophy cabinet, their head-to-head statistics in one-off games are much closer.
Carrick’s first Manchester derby will be Guardiola’s 27th, more than any other City manager. He has won 14 of them, including penalty shootouts and victories against each United manager he has faced from a list including Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag and Amorim.
United have won nine.
The teams met in back-to-back FA Cup finals in 2023 and 24, winning one each.
City have enjoyed more dominant wins — scoring three or more goals on seven occasions — and in 2022 routed United 4-1 and 6-3.