Report Card: How far Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is ahead of Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United

THE football world has been quick to declare an irretrievable gulf now in Manchester, but after five rounds, and six points difference already, how much better are they?

David Weiner

5 min read

September 20, 2016 - 5:31AM

“I think Bournemouth are a very good team and the team who with the ball played better [than anybody else] against us. I saw against West Ham, [Man] United and in other games too that when you let them have the ball and play, they have quality.”

Ouch.

That was Pep Guardiola’s verdict after Manchester City spanked Bournemouth on the weekend, elevating the Cherries above Manchester United in terms of the challenges his side has faced this season.

He’s not the only one who has reservations about the jolt Manchester United’s momentum has suffered after three consecutive losses, including a 3-1 defeat at Watford on Sunday night.

It’s prudent to point out that City enjoyed a blistering start to last season too, and there are question marks still over how Guardiola will cope with the hectic Christmas period. But, also consider that we haven’t seen much yet of Leroy Sane or Ilkay Gundogan, and their 4-0 win came without Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Vincent Kompany. Strutting around without that indispensable trio before this season would have been unlikely.

Thierry Henry said on Sky Sports: “They will keep getting better, it will take something special to stop them being champions.

“They destroyed Bournemouth and if it wasn’t for the mistake of Claudio Bravo against Manchester United they might have had a better second half and the score would have been heavier.

“They don’t have that many new signings in their starting line-up, but there is a different attitude in what is being asked and what the manager wants from them. You can see that every time they have the ball and when they defend as well.”

With the football world quick to declare an irretrievable gulf now in Manchester, let’s take stock and assess their respective starts under their new managers.

GOALKEEPER

City lose points just because of the turbulence at the start of the season, with Willy Cabalero deputising while Joe Hart’s situation was being sorted out. There’s no doubt City have a world class operator in Claudio Bravo, despite his derby blunder. He’ll take time to get used to the pace and the physicality of the PL but his clutch save for City in the Champions League last week was a reminder of his all-round talent. For United, goalkeeper is the one area they don’t have to worry about. Although David De Gea spilled a cross that should have led to a goal against Watford, they’ve got the best in the PL protecting them. See video below:

Manchester City: 7/10

Manchester United: 9/10

DEFENCE

Guardiola’s side have conceded four times over the opening five rounds, with John Stones acclimatising to life at City. The defender has an 89 per cent pass accuracy, his side’s No.1 ranking, over his 201 completed passes this term. Most impressive has been Nicolas Otamendi’s improvement this season, while City’s fullbacks have had the added challenge of being asked to spend more time on the ball at times this season, sometimes alongside a central midfielder, and they have taken that challenge on in their stride.

For the opening three matches, Mourinho would have been pleased with the width he was getting from Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw; Daley Blind provided a ball playing option out the centre while he was waxing lyrical over new recruit Eric Bailly. Once the midfield started to get torn apart in front of them, it’s become less certain. They have now leaked six goals, with five coming in the last two outings, Shaw has been publicly rebuked by Mourinho, Valencia’s service and consistency has waned, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo were lamentable in their place in Europe, while Blind has been dropped for Chris Smalling.

Manchester City: 7/10

Manchester United: 6/10

MIDFIELD

One is purring, one is spluttering. While Guardiola is dictating terms, Mourinho is trying to cram stars into a system. The fact that Marouane Fellaini has completed the most passes for United is an indictment on that strategy, given the Belgian, as diligent as he is, is unlikely to unlock defences, and there’s been an unsatisfactory partnership alongside him to complement his work. Mourinho has tried to partner Paul Pogba with him in a 4-2-3-1; he’s tried deploying Pogba and Rooney ahead of him, and in Europe he paired Morgan Schneiderlin with Fellaini. United have arguably looked most cohesive when Ander Herrera has been in the XI.

On the other hand, City look relentless, with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva relishing a system that allows them to express themselves, protected by Fernandinho, who has completed 240 passes at 87% accuracy. With Ilkay Gundogan making his comeback, it bodes well for Guardiola’s machine, from which De Bruyne has already created 15 chances this season, provided three assists and 12 key passes. Wayne Rooney is United’s equivalent, with figures of 10, two and eight.

Manchester City: 9/10

Manchester United: 5/10

ATTACK

City have completed the most passes in the PL, 2,945, but importantly, that’s translated into goals. United are ninth for passes but City have netted 15 times at three goals a game compared to United’s eight goals in five games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic started in headline making fashion, and his clutch derby goal proves he can even conjure something special on a quiet day. But service to him has waned as Mourinho has struggled to settle on the right players to get the best out of him. Marcus Rashford has emerged as an essential first XI pick, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial have been in and out of the side.

City have proven they are the quintessential ‘collective’ with Sergio Aguero’s absence not felt despite the Argentina being rampant in his start to life under Guardiola, with nine goals. Kelechi Iheanacho has two goals and three assists. Most impressive about City is their variety. While De Bruyne and Silva probe, Raheem Sterling, Jesus Navas, Nolito and Leroy Sane provide insatiable width that has proved difficult to pick up, while also opening the playpen for their playmakers in the middle.

All this, after just five weeks. 8/10, because they’ve even got room to improve.

Manchester City: 8/10

Manchester United: 6/10

GAME PLAN

Guardiola has a settled plan, Mourinho’s team has looked confused and drab.

Manchester City will press feverishly, keep the ball, and as they showed in the derby, move too fluently for their opponents.

Mourinho’s reliance on stars has backfired so far, with the Portuguese yet to settle on his best combinations and the formation to get the most out of the likes of Wayne Rooney and Pogba.

Head to head, these approaches have yielded 67 chances City to United’s 54, while keeping 59% of the ball to United’s 51%. And they’re not just all about the beautiful side of the game: they’ve banged home five set piece goals to United’s two.

Manchester City: 7/10

Manchester United: 4/10

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.

RECRUITS

For United, Bailly has impressed, Ibrahimovic has made an impression but the use – or stifling – of Mkhitaryan is an evolving narrative, while the world waits for Pogba to impose himself on a game.

Guardiola has actually lent heavily on City’s incumbents, while simply dismissing those he inherited but didn’t want. John Stones has made the biggest impression of the new recruits, but that’s almost the most intimidating feature. Guardiola has already improved those there without fully integrating the key pieces of his puzzle yet.

Manchester City: 6/10

Manchester United: 6/10

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks dejected.

MANAGERS

Mourinho gets marked up for the buzz and pizzazz he has brought back to Old Trafford, and to the PL. But cracks are starting to appear as he searches for solutions while trying to deflect the problems in his typical masterful style.

Guardiola has tried to go under the radar, but the swashbuckling style City have started to develop in such a short space of time has made that difficult.

Ominously, Guardiola’s Barcelona and Bayern Munich had not scored as many, or conceded as few, as this City outfit, in his opening eight outings in all competitions.

Pep Guardiola: 8/10

Jose Mourinho: 6/10

TOTAL:

Manchester City: 52/ 70

Manchester United: 42/70