Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Manchester United’s famous “class of 92” group of former players will make “smart” decisions to help Salford City climb further up English Football League.
City host the League Two side on Saturday in one of Salford’s biggest games in the 3rd FA Cup.
Owned by a group of former United stars including David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, Salford have risen through the non-League ranks since their investment began in 2014.
“They have won many titles, those generational players. They had a lot of money to buy clubs. It’s good,” Guardiola said in his press convention prior to the game on Friday.
“There is Gary Neville, David Beckham, I don’t know all the players involved, but they are intelligent people and when other people run football clubs they make intelligent decisions.
“They are in League Two and I’m pretty sure they want to rise like (League One) Stockport. The higher you are, the better your perspective.”
Like the spice of Salford’s United connections, there is also a local size to Guardiola’s fixture.
“I’ve been living in Salford for over 8 years, so I’ll play in opposition to my neighbourhood,” Guardiola added. “My where I live!”
After a poor run in which Guardiola’s men have only won once in thirteen games, they have started to bounce back with wins in their last two meetings against Leicester and West Ham in the Premier League.
A lengthy injury list has been at the heart of City’s struggles and Guardiola is beginning to get some key personnel back.
Goalkeeper Ederson and Oscar Bobb, who broke his leg in pre-season, are back in training, but defenders John Stones, Ruben Dias and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri remain out.
Slot distrust Stanley: Liverpool coach Arne Slot said the Accrington Stanley match to Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday will be the “Final of the Champions League” of League 2.
The clubs are 86 championship places in the 92-team pyramid, the slot men are at the bottom of the Premier League, while Stanley are just outside the relegation zone in the fourth row.
“I think every team that plays against us it is a special occasion, but especially for a lower league team. They will be all up for it, they have looked forward to this game for many weeks,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“If you go to a Champions League final, everyone is absolutely excited and in a position and, tomorrow, for them, it will be like it’s the Champions League final, so we have to be aware of that. “
Despite that warning, the Dutchman will most likely take the opportunity to rotate his team in a turbulent run of matches in four competitions.
This may open the door for Federico Chiesa to make his time begin for the Reds since joining Juventus in August.
The Italian foreign striker’s career was devastated by injuries and the 27-year-old had struggled to stay fit in the first few months of his stay in England.
But Slot said his fleeting appearances also have a lot to do with Mohamed Salah’s form and the rest of his anticipation line.
“Not only has it been difficult for him in terms of fitness, but he has also had to compete with Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah,” Slot added. Everton, meanwhile, shook off the shame of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over third-tier Peterborough just hours after Sean Dyche was sacked from the long-suffering Premier League club on Thursday.
Dyche was sacked less than four hours before the third round, and the club’s new owners, Friedkin Group, were reportedly in talks with former Everton boss David Moyes about a return to Goodison Park.
Moyes is the bookmakers’ favourite for the job of saving Everton from relegation, 12 years after he left for Manchester United.
The Scotsman, who controlled Everton during a successful streak between 2002 and 2013, has been without work since he left the West Ham at the end of last season.
France-Press Agency