Jose Mourinho Schools Guardiola, Proving He’s Got Some Old Magic Left
Jose Mourinho has lately been labelled an outdated manager but the old dog showed bark in a victory against old foe Pep Guardiola. | Source: Reuters/David Klein
- Mourinho’s Tottenham performs what can only be described as a “smash and grab” win over Manchester City at the weekend.
- Guardiola was left frustrated by his team and kept his players locked in the dressing room for 45 minutes after the game.
- As Mourinho proves he’s still got some of the old magic left, what next for Pep? Are the wheels coming off at City?
A Jose Mourinho masterclass at the weekend has pushed his Tottenham side up into 5th place, only four points behind former club Chelsea.
The long rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Mourinho added another chapter at the weekend as the Portuguese carried out what can only be described as a smash and grab on Guardiola’s Manchester City, winning 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium [The BBC].
Jose Mourinho – back to his best?
For all the talk of Mourinho’s demise, it seems he still has some of the old magic that captivated fans at Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid.
Guardiola, by contrast, had kept his players in the dressing room long after the final whistle [The Express]. Jose Mourinho had completed his post-match media obligations and was heading home before the City manager emerged from the away dressing room to address the waiting media.
Guardiola’s actions could even see the former Barcelona manager fined by the English FA.
Are the wheels coming off at Manchester City?
City are still competing for both domestic cups and the Champions League. Failure to defeat Spanish giants Real Madrid later this month could see the pressure cranked up on Guardiola though.
https://twitter.com/yvessaintana/status/1224036083706605569
One thing we know about Pep Guardiola is that he isn’t afraid to walk away from a club. If he feels that things aren’t going the way he wants he can make the tough decisions. He did it at Barcelona, and he left Bayern. Could the pressure he’s under at City become too much?
The possible first sign of the City manager cracking under pressure is the strange comment he made about Liverpool and former Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore [TalkSport].
“wo seasons ago, when we had 100 points, we finished 19 points clear of [Manchester] United, and in that period Liverpool were strong. The last two seasons it was a guy, the owner of the Premier League, who said that can’t happen again and it isn’t good for the Premier League when City win the title in that way. So now it is Liverpool you have to be concerned about (if you are) the owner of the Premier League.
The title race is over, but the chase for the top four is very much alive
If it wasn’t obvious already, the title race is over. Liverpool are champions in all but name. The race for the top four is very much alive and well, though. Mourinho firing Tottenham right back into contention with their win over City at the weekend has opened things up. Leicester City and Chelsea dropping points added to the intrigue heading into the second half of the season.
Jose Mourinho is back. The special one has some life left in him, it seems.
