Popular football pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher reveal why Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will never surpass the great Sir Alex Ferguson’s legacy.
The perennial Spaniard, who has managed some of the sport’s brightest talents, has taken Premier League football to a level above since he arrived in England back in 2016 and should be praised for his innovation and tactical prowess.
His possession-based approach has modernised the game we love and watch today and without him strutting his stuff on the sidelines every week, football would look a lot different.
Guardiola has won 14 major titles since joining the Manchester outfit, including five league titles. While he remains in contention to pick up his fourth Premier League trophy in a row, both Neville and Carragher remain firm that he will never be able to surpass Fergie’s jaw-dropping legacy.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap, Premier League fans got the chance to put the pair on the spot. Before offering their take on the greatest manager ever to coach in England, Neville believed that Manchester United’s rivalry with Arsenal was the best the league has ever seen, while Carragher argued that City’s recent showdowns with Liverpool were better.
Despite disagreeing on that debate, they were both on the same page when discussing the legacies of Guardiola and Ferguson. The former Liverpool defender asked Neville and the fans in attendance whether the Spaniard will be seen as the greatest Premier League manager when he leaves English football, with Neville saying:
“Pep is unbelievable so we’re arguing about something that’s hypothetical, but I just think what Sir Alex Ferguson did for British football and the Premier League, I don’t think can be surpassed.
“He was in the birth years of the Premier League, the football that was played, the electricity, the character and personality.”
The City fan on the episode stated that there was little to separate the two before the former United defender acknowledged: “Pep’s had the biggest influence on style of play. He has influenced League Two teams.”
Carragher agreed that the former Manchester United manager deserves to be recognised as the best, claiming that one thing will prevent Guardiola from taking the top spot:
“There’s one thing Pep’s never done, and he’ll never do because of the clubs he’s had, he’s never won with an underdog.
“Whereas Ferguson, or even a Mourinho, Klopp at Dortmund, Pep’s just always had the biggest teams, hasn’t he?”
The former Red Devils manager took over the reins at Manchester United in 1986, and the rest is history. His first success in the league came in the 1992-93 season, finishing ten points ahead of Aston Villa. His greatest achievement, you could argue, took place just six years later.
In 1999, Fergie guided the Red Devils to a fourth league title in six years. As well as that, he also guided the club to FA Cup glory and Champions League success, famously defeating Bayern Munich in Barcelona.
In the 21st century, things only got better for the Manchester outfit. The Premier League giants won the title three years on the bounce (2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09). His last taste of success in the league came during his final season at the club in 2013, finishing 11 points clear of neighbours Manchester City.
