Pep Guardiola has lauded Manchester United even when the club has been at its lowest points during his time in charge in of Manchester City but his comments have often felt pitying.
Although Guardiola 'praised' United last season when there was nothing good to say about that side, his comments during this campaign have felt different. " United are coming back, finally they are coming back," Guardiola said at a press conference in late October after Erik ten Hag's side responded positively to defeat in the Manchester derby.
Guardiola knows Ten Hag well after the Dutchman managed Bayern Munich II during his time in charge of their first team. He said Ten Hag is a 'top-class manager' and that his teams 'are a joy to watch' when he was appointed by United.
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Ten Hag is making undeniable progress at Old Trafford and United have recorded four wins, scored nine goals and conceded none since the restart, which has seen move them up to fourth in the Premier League table and level on points with Newcastle.
Eddie Howe's side sits in third position due to their superior goal difference, but there is a feeling they might struggle to sustain their results, despite not playing in Europe, and United are now in a strong position to secure Champions League football next season.
United have 35 points after 17 games played and they are just a point behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand to play against Chelsea on Thursday night. Pace-setters Arsenal have a nine-point lead over United.
Guardiola's prediction that United are 'finally' combing back looks to be right and the claim he made at his press conference this week about City being under more pressure than Arsenal or United to win the title was essentially hogwash and a compliment to Ten Hag's work.
It could be argued that Arsenal and United would be under more pressure to win the title if getting in range of such a position at the end of the season, as the Premier League has not seen either side's colours attached to the trophy for years.
The definition of pressure in this scenario is subjective but Guardiola seemed to be playing games with that comment in his pre-match press conference, which ultimately served as praise of Ten Hag, as he felt the need to mention United in the title race.
That's also without mentioning that Guardiola claimed in October 2021 that 'everything', including pressure, was 'doubled' for managers at Old Trafford. Both of his statements can't be true and the Catalan might have accidentally contradicted himself.
Guardiola has gone from pitying comments to considering United as an outside title challenger in the space of a year. That is a sign of the progress Ten Hag has made this season, especially in a campaign which was bound to be transitional.
Ten Hag has refused to be drawn into talk of a title challenge, though. "That is a big step, no, we have to go from game to game and get the progress," he said after Bournemouth. "The belief is growing. That is a good signal, and it is good to have that feeling.
"We have to understand that we have to give every game 100 percent energy, 100 percent focus and 100 percent play as a team, and if you keep that philosophy, it is possible, but you have to go from game to game.
"Don’t get too far ahead it is January not even half a season. The next game is Everton, we have to focus on that, it is coming quick, enjoy 24 hours and then move on."
Ten Hag's verdict was refreshing. He knows tougher challenges await United in January, with games against City and Arsenal directly following their cup commitments, and those two encounters will be the true acid test for Ten Hag.
Guardiola might be feeling the 'pressure' by the end of the month but there is none on Ten Hag beyond perhaps now a top-four finish. Anything achieved beyond that this season is a bonus and a glimpse into the future of the rebuild of the club.
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