Live from Old Trafford: Guardiola Can’t Believe His Eyes – “If United Don’t Want Him, Let Him Come to Man City!”
Old Trafford was buzzing with tension and electricity on Sunday, but the shock of the evening didn’t come from the final score or even the drama on the pitch—it came from Pep Guardiola’s explosive post-match comments. After witnessing a truly eye-catching performance from a Manchester United player—who, bafflingly, has been benched for weeks—the Manchester City boss could no longer bite his tongue.
In an uncharacteristically candid moment, Guardiola stood before the media and delivered a statement that sent ripples across Manchester: “Watching his performance on Sunday, I just can’t understand why they’re benching him. If United don’t want him, let him come to Man City, and we’ll show you the magic!”
While fans scrambled to guess the identity of the player in question, Guardiola made one thing clear: “It’s not Harry Amass and not Obi. You know who I’m talking about.”
And indeed, United fans do know who he’s talking about—because for weeks, they’ve been clamoring on social media, demanding to know why one of the club’s brightest talents has been sidelined despite his undeniable impact on the pitch.
The player in question, though unnamed in Guardiola’s quote, put in a stellar cameo performance that changed the complexion of Sunday’s game. Entering off the bench in the second half, he brought intensity, composure, and creativity to a United side that looked lackluster and indecisive up to that point. His link-up play was crisp, his vision sharper than any of United’s starting midfielders, and in the final ten minutes, he came closest to scoring, rattling the crossbar with a long-range rocket that had the crowd gasping.
Yet, this isn’t the first time he’s turned heads with limited minutes. Nor is it the first time his absence from the starting XI has raised eyebrows. Since the arrival of Rúben Amorim as Manchester United’s new manager, many expected a youthful and dynamic tactical shift. Amorim, known for his progressive football and faith in young talent at Sporting CP, was tipped to be the ideal figure to unleash United’s next generation.
However, his surprising reluctance to start this particular player has left many puzzled. Sources close to the club suggest Amorim is taking a cautious approach, preferring to ease certain players into his system gradually. But fans—and now Guardiola—are not buying it.
Guardiola’s open admiration might just escalate the internal pressure at United to take action. Never before has the City boss so publicly invited a rival’s player to cross the divide. “He plays with joy, intelligence, and rhythm. That’s what we love at City,” Guardiola added. “And if they can’t see it, we’ll gladly take him.”
The statement lit a fire online. United fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express outrage over the benching, while some City fans jokingly began photoshopping the player in a sky-blue shirt, welcoming him in advance. Pundits like Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright weighed in, with Wright saying, “When Pep’s calling for you like that, something’s clearly wrong at United. Amorim needs to explain this.”
One thing is for sure: when Pep Guardiola starts campaigning for your player, it’s not just flattery—it’s a warning. Manchester United, under Rúben Amorim, may need to rethink their choices before their talent slips into enemy hands.