Manchester United hero Andrei Kanchelskis would prefer Pep Guardiola over ‘lucky’ Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford
Russian winger who played for both Manchester clubs hails City for being far more entertaining than their neighbours
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ANDREI KANCHELSKIS was a hero at Manchester United - and later played on loan for rivals City.
Sixteen years after he left the then Maine Road, the Russian winger can but admire the way the Citizens have progressed - especially under Pep Guardiola.
Konchelskis may favour the red side of Manchester - after all he spent four years at Old Trafford and scored 28 goals in 128 appearances between 1991-95.
But he can but admire City, their new stadium and approach to the game.
On Sunday the Manchester derby will throw the full glare of public attention on Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.
And Kanchelskis says: “At the moment City look a bit better, a higher level than United… City are making a better demonstration of football.
Kanchelskis is a keen admirer of City boss Pep Guardiola
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“Some [United] games I am not happy. It is not like we played under [Sir Alex] Ferguson. We always played with wingers.
"Now it is City who play with wingers and you can see City are scoring a lot of goals.
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“Mourinho plays more defensively. When I played during my period, we played to enjoy games.
“There would be improvisation, sometimes we would play in a different way. Cantona, Giggsy, myself, Mark Hughes.
"Now, for me, you're looking at one or two good players. Rashford is good but De Gea is the best player. If not for De Gea, United would not be in second position but fifth or sixth.”
Asked if he would rather have seen Guardiola at Old Trafford as opposed to Mourinho, Kanchelskis reasons:
"At the moment, yes,” he says. Mourinho worked with Bobby Robson, a great coach, and came straight in and very soon took on a great team at Porto. They had big names, big players and dominated.
"Mourinho was lucky. He knew he would never dominate in small teams, second teams."
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It seems Porto's 2004 win over United wrankles with Kanchelskis. Costinha’s late goal eliminated Ferguson’s United on the away goals rule and Mourinho ran the length of touchline in a memorable celebration.
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“Porto were lucky to beat Manchester United by scoring the last minute equaliser at Old Trafford,” he says.
As for Sunday, Kanchelskis will be backing Mourinho. Ten games on loan at City in 2001 can't beat what he did for United and he adds:
"I hope United win. But if they lose on Sunday, it is finished. There will be no chance. It will be 11 points – it is not possible. Eleven points is too much.”