In his pre-match press conference ahead of the FA Cup, Pep Guardiola said that, despite winning the EFL Cup, Manchester United will be back at the top of English football if they spend a bit more money. He also praised their manager Erik ten Hag, as he "is doing an incredible job and the players are too".
Pep Guardiola thinks money equals success. The Manchester City boss thinks that United just need to spend a bit more money to keep their prestigious position which they appear to be refinding and that they had lost over the years. He was asked before the FA Cup game against Bristol City and he spoke about it clearly, saying that the Red Devils would end up returning some day.
When questioned if the Old Trafford side are back, he answered: "If they spend a bit more money, yes. It's because they hadn't spent more money, no? That's normal, they're in a position which they're normally. The reality is that there are two teams, Liverpool and us who have done incredibly well with more money". After, he went on to reveal his thoughts on his first weeks in England.
"When I landed, I thought United would always be there because of their history. Erik ten Hag is doing an incredible job and the players are too. You see how committed they are, how all of them are trying to go forward together. When five or six years pass without winning trophies, you need it", he said. He also remebered the feeling of lifting the Carabao Cup himself.
"I remeber when we were on the road to winning our first EFL Cup and everyone was really excited. For the staff who were new, the players it was new too. The fourth time we travelled to win the Carabao for the fourth consecutive year it was like: "Well, it's great, another, another day at the office'. It's normal'", he ended. In the FA Cup last-16, they'll have to get past Bristol City to have a chance of another just-as-successful cup run in that tournament.