Premier League title race is going to be between Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, says Rio Ferdinand
Former Red Devils defender believes it all comes down to the Pep vs Jose rivalry in the Prem this season
RIO FERDINAND was blunt with his forecast for the Premier League — an English El Clasico between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
The Manchester United legend believes his old club will finally challenge for the title again under the Special One.
And he expects their noisy neighbours City with new boss Pep to be their main rivals.
The Pep-Jose feud started when the Catalan managed Barcelona and the Portuguese boss was at Real Madrid.
Rio said: “It’s United or City. You can’t look past those two managers. They are coming from different places, with Jose wanting to prove the season at Chelsea is a one-off.
“It looks like there’s a real focus about him and that’s dangerous, when he’s got that hunger back.
“And Pep is just a proven, serial winner of titles wherever he’s been. So it makes for a real good season.”
Throw in Antonio Conte at Chelsea, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs and the Premier League easily boasts the world’s best managerial line-up.
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Ferdinand added: “It’s the first season I’ve known where the managers are more exciting than the players.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Conte on the sidelines, with his emotions and his antics. The rivalry Pep and Mourinho are bringing to England now, the Manchester derby will be ramped up even more.”
Ferdinand revealed his old team-mates think Mourinho has already turned things around at United.
He said: “I wish I’d played under Mourinho. It’s proven the job at United is difficult.
“They had Louis van Gaal, who everyone said had great credentials and had proven himself and it didn’t work.
“David Moyes, it didn’t work. I’d love to have played under Mourinho after Sir Alex Ferguson left but it wasn’t to be.
“But speaking to the players last night, they’re very happy. The ambience in the place has turned full circle and there seems to be a genuine belief.
“New manager, the signings, there’s a buzz about the place.”
So what of the long awaited £100million world-record move for Paul Pogba?
The France midfielder, 23, who left United for £800,000 in 2012, will return from Juventus as United’s record signing.
Just as Ferdinand did when he arrived from Leeds for £30m in 2002.
The ex-England centre-back added: “My biggest pressure wasn’t on the pitch at Old Trafford.
“My biggest pressure was on the training pitch with those players and thinking they were thinking, ‘What does £30m get you? Can he win us the league?’ That’s the pressure I felt and putting pressure on myself to write myself into the club’s history through success.
“But I speak to Paul, and he’s all about football, not money. He’s about improvement and being the best.
“When he left, I said ‘Why are you leaving?’ He said, ‘I want to be the best in the world’. He’s on the right track. He’s not there yet.
“If he doesn’t sign, it could have an adverse effect mentally on the players. It’s important they sign him.”
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