Pep Guardiola says he is “so happy” for Erik ten Hag to be in the Premier League ahead of their duel in the Manchester derby.
Manchester United boss Ten Hag spent two years working under Guardiola at Bayern Munich after both joined the German giants in 2013.
During the two years both spent in Bavaria, the Spaniard was in charge of the first-team with Ten Hag managing the reserves.
“He came up to our office sometimes to talk football, sometimes we needed to make training, discuss some players, not much - we were not going out for dinner in that period,” recalled Manchester City boss Guardiola on Sky Sports.
“The second team for Bayern Munich is just a step [for a manager], you will not [spend all your career] there. He went to Holland and finished at the most important club in Holland, what he has done with his teams speak for himself.
“Like the year, from nothing, they almost reached the final of the Champions League, the way they play... Ajax always demand this approach, positivity.
“Honestly, I’m so happy he’s here in England. Like [Roberto] De Zerbi, I like managers when they have this spirit and it doesn’t matter the opponent, stronger or weaker, they go and play their game.”
Guardiola once even named Ten Hag as a potential successor at the Etihad, earlier in the year while the Dutchman was still at Ajax.
Ten Hag replied: “It’s a nice compliment, first, but I’m 100 per cent convinced I choose Man United with everything in it and I didn’t regret it for one second until now.”
He added: “First of all, it's most important no person is the same, so I have to stick by myself and then I learn a lot from many human beings in football, especially from top coaches.
“And I admire Pep Guardiola a lot because he's not only successful, he's doing it in a certain way that really attracts people to football and that is a reward.”
