Ralf Rangnick believes Manchester United need 'continuity and consistency' at all levels if they are going to close the gap on Man City in the years to come. United travel to face City in the Premier League this weekend and head into the match a staggering 19-points behind their noisy neighbours.
United have gradually fallen further and further behind their local rivals in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, with the club struggling to find consistency in regards to their planning both on and off the pitch.
To return to the summit of English football United will not only need to play catch-up with City and Liverpool, but find a way to move ahead of them as well.
READ MORE: Ralf Rangnick addresses possibility of becoming a permanent Manchester United manager
Ahead of his first meeting with the City as United boss this weekend, Rangnick was quizzed on the differences between the two clubs and how United can close the gap on Pep Guardiola's side.
"To be honest, I have not thought about that," he told reporters. "I don't know. I don't even know the structure or set up at Manchester City. My focus was, and still is, on developing the current team and getting the best out of this season.
"What is obvious with Manchester City and Liverpool they have continuity and consistency on the position of their manager, their head coach, for the past five or six years.
"They have a very clear identity, a clear idea of how they want to play. I know Jurgen in person and I know Pep from the three years in Germany, he also has a clear idea how he wants to play. This idea is the headline for everything that happens at the club for recruitment, any players they sign. Or even for players they at one stage will sell.
"This is the secret behind their success; they know exactly how they want to play, they have a clear identity, or you can also call it a corporate identity. This is their guideline for everything.
"Not just for new players but also for staff members, for experts in different areas of the game. This is what all the top clubs in Europe have in common. This is something that needs to be developed at Manchester United and improved in the next couple of years."
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