Only Pep Guardiola can save Manchester United, insists former Old Trafford first-team coach | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola is the only man that can save and rescue Manchester United beyond Erik ten Hag, according to a former first-team coach at Old Trafford.

That is the view of iconic former Blackburn Rovers forward, Benni McCarthy – who was assigned into the role of a first-team coach at Manchester United back in 2022, and known to be a lifelong fan of the Old Trafford club.

Having been named 2020/21 South African Premier League Coach of the Year, and having been offered the job as head coach of the South African senior national team, McCarthy turned down such a proposal in May, 2021.

However, despite his previous association to Erik ten Hag and the Old Trafford operation in the last two years, the 46-year-old has not been shy to hit out criticism towards the ongoing problems within Manchester United, particularly speaking from a fans’ perspective.

Speaking during a new interview with SuperSportTV this week, the former Manchester United first-team coach brought in under Erik ten Hag has pointed towards City’s Pep Guardiola as the only manager in football that could revive the Old Trafford club.

“I can imagine how hard it is for Erik (ten Hag), because he’s probably one of the hardest-working managers I’ve come across,” McCarthy insisted. “His attention to detail, that man sleeps at 4am.”

He continued, “And when you put that much work in, you expect things to go well, but that’s why I’m saying there’s something [that’s not right].

“People always look for answers like replacing the coach – who are you replacing him with? Who else is better than what they have?

“You’re not going to get many managers, unless Pep (Guardiola) decides to change from (Manchester) City. But other than that I can’t really say there’s much better than Ten Hag.”

Whilst Pep Guardiola continues to make a decision over his own long-term future beyond Manchester City, as his contract runs down this season, there is certainly no chance to a move across to the city.

However, there remains slim hopes within the Football Association and throughout various sections of the media over the likelihood of Guardiola being swayed into taking the vacant senior men’s England national team job.

Speaking on an Italian chat show this week, Guardiola was quizzed on whether he had already agreed to take the Wembley Stadium job, to which he responded, “It’s not true. I’m Manchester City manager… I’ve not decided anything, everything can happen.”