Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
played down the focus on his rivalry with Manchester City counterpart
Pep Guardiola on Friday and said Saturday’s derby would be decided by
the players.
This weekend’s encounter has been billed
as a grudge match between Mourinho and Guardiola, who had several
stormy encounters during their time in charge of Real Madrid and
Barcelona respectively.
It is three years since they last faced
off in a match, but Mourinho said the on-pitch action at Old Trafford
will be more important than what happens on the touchline.
Asked whether the presence of Guardiola
in the opposition dug-out presented a particular problem, Mourinho told
journalists at United’s Aon Training Complex: “Just the players.”
Mourinho emphasised the need for
“emotional control” in the match, which will see United and City attempt
to end each other’s perfect starts to the Premier League season.
When he was told the match was being cast as a rematch between himself and Guardiola, he replied: “That’s no problem.”
“They are a very good team,” he added.
“They were a very good team last season,
two, three, four seasons ago. Maybe since the new owners arrived at Man
City, it’s a very good squad, it’s a very good team.
“They had very good managers. They have
now a very good manager. They had always very good players. They bought
some more very good players.
“So they are what they are since I
return to England in 2013. They’re a title contender and we have to
respect them that way, that’s for sure.”
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