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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Joe Bray

'He is right' - Pep Guardiola responds to Sam Allardyce claim ahead of Man City vs Leeds

Pep Guardiola agrees with Sam Allardyce over the new Leeds United manager's widely-mocked comments after taking over at Elland Road.

After replacing Javi Gracia for the final four games of the season, Allardyce made headlines by saying he was 'up there' with Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp as a manager.

With Leeds travelling to Manchester City on Saturday in Allardyce's first game in charge, Guardiola has showered the praise on his counterpart, agreeing with his comments and praising other experienced English managers in work at the end of the current season.

ALSO READ: Sam Allardyce insists he is 'up there' with Pep Guardiola ahead of Man City clash

Allardyce had said: “Far too many people think I’m old and antiquated which is so far from the truth,” Allardyce said in his first press conference as Leeds boss. “I may be 68 and look old but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta. It’s all there with me."

In response, Guardiola said: "He is right. I want to be honest, look what happened with Neil Warnock in Huddersfield. These incredible managers, they have done this Premier League or this competition is better? It looks like now the young managers with the tactics.

"They are really good, they help us to be who we are. Look at Roy Hodgson with Crystal Palace, what they have done. They are really good, have incredible experience, they know the game perfectly.

"It will be tough [vs Leeds]. He has the charisma, will put on the pressure to the players and knows exactly what to do in these relegation battles. It looks like these type of old managers, now people with 35, 40, 45, 'we invent football'. No, football is already created. These guys belong to the league, help us to do it. Neil Warnock, Huddersfield was last place and now already out of the dangerous positions.

"What Harry Redknapp has done in this country. There are many English managers who have done really well, you don’t have to be young to be a good manager. As much experience you have, you are good."

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