Pep Guardiola believes that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is starting to put his own stamp on Manchester United .
The two managers go head to head again in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Old Trafford tomorrow night.
United own the bragging rights after their derby win at the Etihad Stadium a month ago, but Manchester City have generally left their neighbours behind since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Solskjaer is United’s fourth permanent manager since then, and he has come under intense scrutiny with the Reds struggling to break into the top four for a second season running.
But Guardiola, whose team were blitzed by a counter-attacking United team last time out, says the signs are there that his team’s identity is taking shape.
“I think he starts to see his team like he wanted,” said Guardiola. “The last (league) game versus Arsenal they lost but you see clearly what he wants.
“It is not easy to handle a team, a big, big club, always demanding to be champions in all competitions but I think every manager needs time and I have the feeling United are starting to play the way he wants.”
Guardiola’s biggest task is to ensure his team are not as vulnerable to swift counter-attacking as they were when United pulled off a shock 2-1 win which virtually ended the Blues’ title hopes.
Asked what he had learned from that defeat, Guardiola said: “How fast they are. How they run on the counter attack. How solid, how aggressive.
“We conceded a few counter attacks and in just two or three seconds they are in the box. In general the game was good.”
