MANCHESTER CITY BOSS Pep Guardiola is expecting a tougher challenge from Manchester United in the coming years after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in the club was completed this week.
Ratcliffe, who has taken a 27.7% stake in United and will have control over football operations, said he aimed to knock City and Liverpool “off their perch” within three years.
United have not won the Premier League since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 as City have become the dominant force in English football.
The blue side of Manchester have won seven Premier League titles in 12 seasons, five of which have come under Guardiola.
Ratcliffe has wasted little time in rejigging United’s backroom staff, poaching Omar Berrada from City to be the club’s new CEO and attempting to land Newcastle’s sporting director Dan Ashworth.
“I think I am pretty sure with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the other people, Manchester United are going to make a step forward,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of a trip to Bournemouth.
“I had the feeling they know exactly what they have to do, appointing people they need. With his experience in the business world it can make the project better, but that is normal.
All the teams want (to be at the top) and we want to be there. As long as I am here we will try to be there again.”
Kevin De Bruyne could return for City on Saturday as Guardiola confirmed the Belgian is “not injured.”
The midfielder spent the entirety of Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Brentford on the bench due to what Guardiola described as “niggles” in his hamstring.
The 32-year-old missed five months of the season after tearing his hamstring on the opening night of the league campaign.
De Bruyne had been in scintillating form since his comeback in January, scoring two goals and providing seven assists in eight appearances.
City remain in the hunt to defend the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup they won last season.
And Guardiola believes he was right to rest De Bruyne with so much on the line in the coming months.
“He’s good, not injured,” said the City boss. “I don’t know if he is 100% but we took a good decision to not take a risk, apart from the result. If the result was not good, people would ask why he didn’t play. He didn’t feel comfortable.
“The day after the game he didn’t train and yesterday everyone was off, but he trained by himself. Today we will assess. I am sure he will travel.”
With Liverpool not in Premier League action this weekend, victory for City on England’s south coast would close the gap at the top of the table to just one point.
Boom boom boom boom everybody say Mayo!
@Eamonn McColgan II: Mayo make history like Galway 2 weeks ago. There is all to play for remember there was a replay last year.
Must be serious pressure on the Dubs today. Imagine loosing to a team of amateurs.
@mickmc: jeez mayo are by no means amateurs
@Alison Maguire: No it’s no surprised the two best funded county got to the final.
@mickmc: why how much did each of those county’s spend on players ??
@Nucky: your alive,any chance you can come back and put neenee/alan back in his box
@j lad: think I just did
@Nucky: well enough “expense” or handy numbers to ensure they can train professionally without the hindrance of a job.
@mickmc: Learn to spell imbecile
@mickmc: aww boohoo things are only a hindrance if you let them be
@mickmc: I respect the Dubs and their fans but not tits like you who troll online! May the best team win today!
O’Gara lucky to be on pitch! Knackery thing to do
@Adrian Costigan: gouging. Low act
@Cathal: knowing the GAA will prob get an 8 week ban, be back for first round of o’byrne cup in January!
Ref is giving everything to Dublin
@Gerry Murphy: what game are you watchin
Dublin foul themselves and get a free in lol
@Simon: This Game is Archive Available Here ————> http://nfl.onair.host/
If ever there was a game that the best team lost this was it
Not a hope
A draw today and Mayo to win the replay at home in Castlebar
@TravellingTheWorld: Good News All Soccer Fan,
Today Game Watch Live stream Fllow This…….. http://soccer.onair.host/
Come on Mayo, stuff the jackeens
@Declan Moran: yjuykiuytok7u6ou
@Declan Moran: Great News All Soccer Fan,
Today Game Watch Live stream Fllow This…….. http://soccer.onair.host/
@Anika Swift: this isn’t soccer
@Declan Moran: Thanks Anika. I need this after that fcuking sh!te today
Classy bit of eye gouging caught on camera by O’Gara.
@Bríd Uí Mhaoluala: nice elbow by keegan into back of coopers head
Referee is shocking in my opinion. Neutral supporter here
Mayo by 2
How many men have to hang out of Aidan O’Shea for him to get a free?
People really are underestimating this Dublin team and don’t realize how good they are. This is a team that you’ll only see once every generation, kinda like the Kerry team of the 70′s/80′s. They will beat Mayo today, and I believe they’ll do it quite handily. The firepower that Dublin have on the bench is the crucial aspect of this game. Once the benches come into play around the 45min mark you’ll see the Dubs pull away. I take Dublin by 5-7 points.
@Stephen Duggan: Not really…………….at half time!
@Stephen Duggan: Best Team ever my arse.
@Ewan Scott: I agree, poor first half. But no All Ireland is ever won at half time.
@Ewan Scott: Where did I say ‘best team ever?’
@Ewan Scott: champions
@Ewan Scott: Now you agree up The Dubs
@Michael McCormack: sorry to say o don’t Michael
@Paul Furey: were at full time
Go néirí an tádh leis an bhfoireann is fearr. COYBIB
@architects: Is feidir leat labhairt i nGaeilge ach tá tú fós ar “shoneen” -
@Old Gabby Johnson: ___Is buaiteoir é mar atá gach I mBaile Átha Cliath ar lá atá againn inniu ann! COYBIB
@George Hogan: Let the good times roll! COYBIB
Before the first ad break at half time RTE did their usual montage of highlights. One was a Dublin player eye gouging a Mayo player. No mention of it anywhere, unless I missed commentary on it.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: don’t worry Thomas. The Sunday game crew will lobby to get him a long suspension later on. Mark my words
Referee seems to have forgotten his cards for mayo
Mayo 1-16 Dublin 1-14
Ref doing his best to make a bo**ix of it as usual.
What was Vaughan thinking about. What an absolute eejit
COYBIB!!!
@Billy Connelly: The whole country is rooting for the Jacks to lose…
@TravellingTheWorld: Typical spiteful culchies;)
@Billy Connelly: the journal send notifications for the Chelsea match but not the all ireland final.???? What’s more important.
@Joe Travers: neither is more important than the other they are just two sporting contests. I’m getting Journal notifications for both so I’d check your phone.
@Joe Travers: Hi Joe. You can get notifications if you scroll up to the top of the page and click into ‘live blog’ and turn on ‘important events’. Enjoy the game.
Mayo for ham
Cluxton kick outs amazing…..when he’s kicking 10 yrds to free man! Other than that he’s bottled them
If Mayo had another forward other than Andy Moran they would be further ahead, Cillian O Connor very over rated
He’s having a very poor game so far
Come On Ye Boys In Blue
You’re some West of Ireland man Paul Scanlon …. tosser!
@SYM-Metal: says a roscommon dik head
Dublin Joe at it again.No way Donal Vaughan should have sent off.Joe couldn’t have Dublin a man down.Could he and he has given them the space on pitch they need.Well done.
@Mary Ryan: go back to washin the dishes 2 reds cards deserved, if Vaughan had of stayed out of it dubs were down to 14 and mayo were in the driving seat idiot of a player
@Mary Ryan: intentional striking or attempting to strike an opponent is a straight red! You will vary rarely see a clearer example
As a donegal man well played by both sides. Best final ive seen in a long time..
Vaughan has just handed the all Ireland to Dublin, Muppet
Fair play to the Dubs. Deserved 3 in a row.
So, we see how good the dubs are when they’re tested, NOT so great
@Declan Moran: champions 3 in a row
Some dirty tactics by Dublin and poor refereeing decisions all going Dublin’ s way..
Mayo were the better team..
@Patrick j Brady: hahahahahaha. And what about Mayos dragging and taking players out. Even the last free he swung his boot towards Rock as he was taking it.
@Patrick j Brady: Most of the off the ball dirty play came from Mayo
It’s the ref that badly needs a boot!! Too many incidents not picked up on
Mayo must take their points. Way too many wides.
Only 2 scores for Dublin in the 1st 20 mins. Dean Rock has started the game poorly and McCaffrey will be a big loss.
Also has to be said that Cilllan O Connor has been very poor for Mayo – just as well Moran and Doherty are doing great so far
Agree John
Donal Vaughan.
Dublin – much more experienced at this level, awesome firepower available to replace anyone misfiring on the day and side full of confidence, united and determined. Pressure is on Mayo to take it off the Dubs.
I’m trying to watch on rte player it’s bad anyone any ideas what’s wrong or any stream to watch
@Donal O Cofaigh: mobdro? Not great quality by any means but it works. Both on rte and sky.
@Malvolio32: found one on you tube gaa hd live , excellent quality, thanks for reply
@Donal O Cofaigh: watching RTE on Mobdro and have a much better stream than the RTE player app
Gutted for mayo : (
Go on Mayo
Vaughan , full qualified velvet ears !!!!
How many steps did Rock run for that point ? Mayo hard done by
Another home win for Dublin
@TravellingTheWorld: yes and delighted. No better feeling than the capital winning in the capital.
Mayo hahahaha ,
Weren’t u hoping mayo would win 2 weeks ago! Hypocrite
Poor Mayo, if Vaughan had kept his head things could very different. Hard luck… once again. COYBIB!!!!!!!!
mayo ony themselves to blame.in the last 10 minutes too many mayo players went missin.Dublin didn’t even play well
@Michael cunnane: or weren’t let play well??
HT. Dublin are very poor so far.Jack Mac huge loss .Eoin o Gara has to go if Dublin are to win but this will be close and could be a another draw.
Unlucky mayo. Was an enjoyable game of football to watch. Heart in the mouth stuff at the end. Thought a draw was a fair result to be honest and a replay but hope to see use back at the final stage next year for another battle. Up the dubs
MAYO CHEATED BY THUGS
@Pat Butler: always with the excuses. Annual bottlers.
That last COC free kick which came off the post…..no Mayo player at the ready to pounce on rebound!
The Vaughan incident, very costly…when cool heads and calmness required in the heat of that moment…a red mist descends on Donie.
Thrilling game. End to end stuff! Hard luck Mayo. Congrats to Dubs.
All in all 2017 a great year’s GAA matches.
Dublin didn’t deserve to win today Mayo did. O am sickened by how poor the ref was at that game…..
@Robert McMahon: Agreed
@Robert McMahon: of course Dublin deserved to win. They battled on and scored more points when playing poorly. That’s the definition of a winning team.
Gooooaaaaallllllll Mayo
Keep it up Nayo
@Paul: that’s what the dubs call a donkey!
Loss of McCaffrey was massive for Dublin. Dublins best players always seem to get injured against mayo. Every time they play. It’s amazing.
Mayo should be further ahead.
Connolly to score the winner :)
O Connor has to get into the game if mayo want to win.
C’mon Sinéad! Have Dublin shown up? Often late for GAA.
Mayo struggling to break dubs blanket defence.
That curse stands. If I was those two remaining players from 55 I’d be in wit pro.
Really not impressed by this at all. The skill level is very low. Both these teams would get monstered by 100 points if they took on the Ireland rugby team in a rugby match.
Bunch of amateurs.
@beni gabor: poor attempt at Trolling
@beni gabor: g8 b8 m8
Great game of football. Fair play to Dublin, dispite not playing well im the first half, They managed to keep their composer, and take their scores. A close finish but the best team won on the day.
What would have happened if we won desperate dan? Would u have gone into hiding? Joke of a gaa “fan”
Donal Vaughan cost Mayo that match. Devastating for everyone concerned to have to put up with such stupidity.
Is it me or are they playing for a replay? Not playing more like..
@Mike Foley: maybe not.. dublin just scored
@Mike Foley: well no one can say the ref didn’t do his bit.
I thought the dubs were on the GAA payroll if they went on for a replay
So close ,gutted but they gave yas a run for your money
What a clown you are Vaughan , had the advantage & pissed away coz you’re a hot head fool
Can’t blame a so called curse for that. A stupid red card cost them in the end. Absolutely brainless.
Dirty smackheads
Cmon Mayo cursed jaysus beat the dubs
Whens the blame the ref and dirty dublin gonna start well done dublin great game, Respect to mayo great team