Pep Guardiola has delivered the ultimate derby day snub by insisting that Manchester United are NOT Manchester City's biggest rivals.
Guardiola has made City the most dominant force in Europe while the Reds have suffered a spectacular fall from grace and are once again languishing in mid-table.
Sir Alex Ferguson once insisted that the Blues could never be regarded as a threat when his United team were the only serial winners in town.
Guardiola admitted that Ferguson’s assessment was right - but suggested that he has never seen United as serious challengers during his eight seasons at the Etihad.
“When I finish my tenure here, Liverpool will have been my rivals and our rivals,” said Guardiola. “They have made us a challenge and helped make us a better team in all departments.
“They have challenged us like no other team has done in my period here.
“There was one year with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] that was quite close - but overall it has been Liverpool.”
While Ferguson’s United were winning 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League's, the Blues suffered the ignominy of relegation to League One and went 35 years without lifting a trophy.
Guardiola added: “Sir Alex was right, City were not challengers. Without the presence of (owner) Sheikh Mansour and (chairman) Khaldoon, who took over and made an investment, it was United and Arsenal who were the richest ones and that’s why they were there.
“In that moment, Sir Alex Ferguson could not expect what has happened - even myself when I was in Barcelona thought the same.
“But now is the reality - and we want to stay here for as long as possible.
“We were not in the elite. But now we are in the elite and maybe it is uncomfortable for them (United). We are there now and we want to be
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