Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, just three days after Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United crumbled at the Etihad, attempted to explain why his Red Devils outfit boasted such a formidable track record against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Solskjaer’s team got the better of Guardiola’s on no fewer than four occasions. They even triumphed three times away from home against the perennial Premier League champions.
And, speaking to The Overlap’s Stick to Footballpodcast, the legendary Norwegian insists that there was no magic formula behind Manchester United’s success. Just pace, work-rate, and a willingness to gallop into the wide open spaces in behind City’s backline.
“There were players whose main strength was counter-attacking, running and digging in,” Solskjaer said.
“In previous years, you had players like (Andreas) Pereira, (Dan) James and (Jesse) Lingard that could run all day. And it’s easy to set up a team and beat City away from home.”
Big move awaits former Manchester United man
Flash forward to April 2024, and none of the aforementioned trio can call Old Trafford home these days. Jesse Lingard is looking to kick-start his career in Korea, Dan James is threatening to fire Leeds back into the big time, while Andreas Pereira has quietly and efficiently developed into one of the division’s more underrated midfield talents over at Fulham.
The Cottagers paid £10 million to sign Pereira from Man United in the summer of 2022. A return to the Brazilian national team after five years away – he supplied the assist for Endrick’s Wembley winner – and reports linking one of the biggest clubs in European football with a move for the one-time Valencia and Lazio loanee is testament to stellar job Marco Silva has done with Fulham’s set-piece specialist.
Sky Sports report that there is interest from Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone’s side saw the shutters slammed down by Fulham in January. But, with his contract expiring in just two years’ time, the West London outfit may be forced to at least pick up the phone to Atletico should they come calling again.
Brazil star an Atletico Madrid target
“I wanted to show people that I can play in the Premier League. That I can play at the highest level,” Pereira told Fulham Fix, explaining his decision to leave United during Ten Hag’s first summer at the helm.
“When the boss (Silva) called me, he said; ‘I know you have the quality to play in the Premier League. I want you to show it, and I want to give you the chance to do it’.
“When he said that, it was like a challenge for me.”
Man United, at least, had the foresight to include a 20 per cent sell-on clause in Pereira’s contract. As such, if Fulham were to accept a big-money bid from Atletico Madrid, the Red Devils would be in for a sizeable windfall.