Manchester United are “in trouble”, says Noel Gallagher, with the former Oasis star seeing the struggles of Paul Pogba and Co set to continue as Manchester City go from strength to strength.
The Red Devils once dominated the scene in their part of the world, as well as the bigger picture of English football and Europe.
Those at Old Trafford have, however, suffered a rather humbling fall from grace and been forced to watch on powerlessly as ‘noisy neighbours’ have taken to the lofty perch they previously occupied.
City have just wrapped up a fourth Premier League title and remain on course for an unprecedented domestic treble, with an FA Cup final date against Watford to come on Saturday.
United, in contrast, have ended the 2018-19 campaign empty-handed, without Champions League qualification and with serious questions being asked of supposed star turns and the direction in which the club is heading.
City fan Gallagher is delighting in those struggles, telling talkSPORT of the differences that now exist on opposing sides of the Manchester divide: “It’s all about the team [at City].
“The other mob in Stretford, they’re just buying individuals. You see [Alexis] Sanchez and [Paul] Pogba.
“They’re in trouble. They remind me of where we were in the late 1980s/early 90s – they’re just trying to buy their way out of trouble now.
“As long as [Pep] Guardiola’s here, they’re not getting anywhere near us. No one is.”
Liverpool got to within a point of City in this season’s title race, but Gallagher is not convinced that the Reds will be able to maintain those standards and come back into contention next term.
He added: “Even next season, can Liverpool be any better than that? They’ve jammed it this season.
“I think next season, Liverpool don’t get near us either.”
City will, however, be placing even greater emphasis on Champions League success next season, having once again failed to put themselves in contention for the most prestigious of European crowns.
Liverpool are in the hunt for that trophy, with Jurgen Klopp’s side set to face Tottenham at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on June 1.