Premier League: Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer disagrees with Gary Lineker over Pep Guardiola claim

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Sir Alex Ferguson is still the most influential manager in football history.

Barcelona acolyte Gary Lineker said last week Pep Guardiola has changed the way we play/think about the game and arguably had the most positive influence of anyone ever in football. Football fans from around the world can purchase Premier League Football Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

In 2008, Guardiola inherited a Barcelona squad that included Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and Carles Puyol and claimed a clean sweep in his first season in management.

Barcelona regained the Champions League in 2011 with a virtuoso final performance against an aging Man Utd side reeling from a lack of investment and the Catalan also secured three successive Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich before he took over at City.

Manchester City has won five of the last six domestic honors under Guardiola and Solskjaer likened Guardiola's impact to that of the pioneering Johan Cruyff but stayed loyal to Ferguson.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Statement

"I must say he has had a giant impact and since he took over Barcelona I have admired Pep’s teams. But I have got to say I worked under the most influential one.

"You do see one of the best managers ever and you can see where he has taken his wisdom from. I had the pleasure of speaking and meeting Johan Cruyff back in the day when Jordi was here and you can see certain similarities."

Solskjaer joked ahead of last month's derby Manchester United play City more often than they did when he was a player.

Solskjaer joined Man Utd from Molde in June 1996 a month after City were relegated to the old Division One and City dropped into the third tier of English football in 1998 before they returned to the top flight in 2000.

The first derby Solskjaer was involved was a 1-1 draw in May 2001, by which time Manchester United had won their third successive championship. Manchester City was relegated back down to Division One 10 days later.

The Abu Dhabi Manchester United Group's takeover in 2008 propelled Manchester City into the football elite and they have secured four Premier League titles, four League Cups and two FA Cups since their breakthrough Wembley win in 2011.

It is a different era and a different time, Solskjaer acknowledged. When the holders came in you be familiar with they were going to go for it. We are still in our own head the biggest club in the world but we know that's going to take time to compete with City.

Lineker sparks debate with Guardiola and Alex Ferguson claim

Match of the Day announcer Gary Lineker has made a massive claim about Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's impact on English football.

A videocassette of Guardiola talking about his impact on English football was tweeted on Saturday evening by Twitter account SPORF and Lineker shared it and added a shining honor of the Spaniard.

The former Barcelona manager has won two Premier League trophies at Manchester City to add to domestic titles in Germany and Spain.

But his impact bounces far beyond substantial success with his persistent and passing style of football in several ways reforming the way clubs across the nation go about their corporate.

Whilst Guardiola clogged short of admiring himself in the video Lineker took it upon himself to make a brave declaration that provided a spark of dispute on Twitter.

Lineker Tweet

"I will say it for him. He is had, arguably, the most positive influence of anyone ever on our game," Lineker tweeted.

Journalist Arjun Pradeep countered Lineker's view by hailing Man Utd great Sir Alex Ferguson but Lineker soon doubled down on his statement.

Total respect for Sir Alex’s achievements and of course, he is the most successful, but that is an entirely different thing. Guardiola has altered the way we think about the game. From our obsession with direct play to total football, and they said it could not be done, Lineker continued.

The former England brilliant also added additional acclaim for Guardiola when Johan Cruyff's name was fetched up.

Cruyff did not coach in this country. Having said that his impact flows over Guardiola, Lineker added.

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