and what Pep Guardiolas arrival could mean for the

Ahead of Sundays derby, live on Sky Sports 1 HD, we examine how the balance of power has shifted in Manchester - and what Pep Guardiolas arrival could mean for the rivalry… Pep Guardiola to City may have been footballs worst kept secret but the confirmation of his move to the Etihad Stadium in February still sent reverberations around the red half of Manchester.As City were tying up a three-year contract for the most successful coach on the planet and a man famed for his thrilling attacking football, United were in the midst of a haphazard plod through the season which has left their under-pressure manager Louis van Gaal looking increasingly forlorn. It was an alarming contrast. Fast forward six weeks and the Guardiola announcement appears to have done little to aid Citys title challenge under the outgoing Manuel Pellegrini, but on Super Sunday they have the opportunity to open up a seven-point gap on their neighbours, and after Uniteds Europa League exit against Liverpool, the spotlight is firmly fixed on Old Trafford once again. Pep Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season Just twenty-four hours prior to United and Liverpool going head to head on Thursday night, Citys next manager had emerged from Bayern Munichs Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus with his reputation in tact thanks to an extraordinary salvage job in Bavaria.The hosts were in deep trouble at 2-0 down, but a four-goal response sent Guardiola into the Champions League quarter-finals for his seventh consecutive season as a manager. Not once has he fallen short of the last four. Nor has he ever finished a domestic season outside of the top two. It is statistics such as those that make Guardiolas imminent move to City appear all the more galling for United. Here is a coach capable of laying the foundations for years of Premier League dominance. How could Ed Woodward and the Old Trafford hierarchy have allowed their bitter rivals to swoop ahead of them?For their part, United insist there was no attempt to hijack the move, but if Van Gaal is relieved of his duties in the summer, widespread reports suggest Jose Mourinho will be the man they turn to. The former Chelsea manager has plenty of experience of going toe-to-toe with Guardiola, after all, and enjoyed sweet victories over the Catalan with both Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Mourinho and Man Utd A timeline of events involving Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and Manchester United. Regardless of who is in charge of United next season, however, they are already playing a daunting game of catch-up with their neighbours. Few could have envisaged just how far the Reds would fall after Sir Alex Fergusons retirement in 2013, but City finished 22 points clear of them in 2013/14, and they were nine clear in 2014/15. United have endured a poor Premier League season under Louis van Gaal The gap is down to four points ahead of Sundays derby, but that is hardly due to progress at Old Trafford. And while Citys title challenge has faltered, they are still in Champions League contention and have already lifted the Capital One Cup. Uniteds only hope of silverware, meanwhile, hinges on an awkward FA Cup quarter-final replay away to West Ham.With Guardiola in charge and the promise of unlimited backing in the transfer market, it is difficult to envisage anything over than considerable improvement at City next year. Defence and central midfield are areas in need of improvement, but the level of surgery required is nothing compared to Uniteds. Hart v De Gea Which goalkeeper will come out on top in the Manchester derby? Injuries have exposed shortcomings in practically every area of Van Gaals squad, with the manager forced to thrust untested youngsters into the fray due to a glaring lack of depth and quality in the senior ranks.United can take heart from the emergence of teenagers such as Marcus Rashford and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, but repeated mistakes in the transfer market have taken a heavy toll over the last 18 months, with the brilliant form of Angel di Maria and Javier Hernandez at PSG and Bayer Leverkusen ramming the point home. Javier Hernandez has scored 23 goals for Bayer Leverkusen this season And while Guardiolas stay in Manchester may not extend beyond the three years of his contract, Citys huge investment in a new youth academy and state-of-the-art training facilities shows long-term preparation the like of which cannot be seen on the other side of the city - where a confused transfer policy points to muddled thinking.Citys long-term planning and strategy is clear, so is their succession planning, said Sky Sports News HQs James Cooper in February. In truth thats borne out by the building of the City Football Academy and the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance. How City persuaded Pep Sky Sports News HQs James Cooper explains how Man City lured Pep Guardiola to the Etihad. So while United grapple with decisions over their immediate future, City are already grooming Guardiolas successor. The New York City FC post is something of a job interview for Patrick Vieira, added Cooper. He is being seriously looked at as the next manager of the club after Guardiolas three years.With Guardiola on his way to City and given their own current malaise, its easy to see why United might turn to Mourinho. The 53-year-old is one of few coaches with a CV to rival the Bayern boss, and his trophy haul includes three Premier League crowns, two Champions Leagues and - most significantly - a La Liga title won at the expense of his old foe. Jose Mourinho has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United But what of the long-term? Mourinho talked of creating a dynasty at Chelsea, however his managerial stints tend to unravel spectacularly - and his return to Stamford Bridge was no exception. Transforming United back into major contenders would be his toughest challenge yet, and history highlights the risks involved.The outcome of Sundays derby could have a significant impact on how United finish the season and it could also influence their decision-making over the coming months. Whatever the result, though, it is impossible to escape the reality that only one of the Manchester sides is primed for long-term success. United are in danger of being left behind.Watch the Manchester derby live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday. Also See: Giggs: Martial the model Hart v De Gea Aguero: Title slipping away When Geoff met Martial and Sterling Spurs Hoodie .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Tim Duncan Spurs Jersey .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next. http://www.authenticspursauthority.com/dennis-rodman-spurs-jersey-c-11/ .com) - Jeff Teague finished with a game-high 26 points and eight assists as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Utah Jazz, 98-92, on Friday. Kyle Anderson Jersey . The 27-year-old hit .209 in 86 at-bats last year after missing the 2010 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Custom Spurs Jerseys . The match, billed as a "next-gen" encounter between two of the sports rising stars, lasted two and a half hours. The loss kept Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., from reaching a third fourth-round spot in Melbourne over the past four years. DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was briefly taken from a jail to a hospital this weekend for an undisclosed problem, a Massachusetts sheriff said. Hernandez was brought to St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford Saturday and was back at the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth about an hour later, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said Sunday. Hodgson said he cant disclose what happened because of medical privacy laws. Hernandez, a Bristol, Connecticut, native, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection with the killings of two men in Boston in 2012 and the killing of another man found near Hernandezs home in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. The hospital visit, first reported by WBZ-TV in Boston, came a day after his attorneys said in a transfer request that Hernandez should be moved to a jail closer to Boston becausee communication with his attorneys and his personal safety are being compromised.dddddddddddd Boston-based attorneys Michael Fee and James Sultan complained their client has dealt with "bizarre and unprecedented" restrictions in his communications with his lawyers. Hernandez cannot always speak privately over the phone and in-person visits are limited to a specially-designated visitation room at the prison, they said. The lawyers also suggested Hernandezs safety is at risk now that he faces criminal charges for allegedly threatening to kill a prison guard and his family, and in an alleged jail altercation with another inmate. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty. Hernandez is set to appear in court in Boston this week in the 2012 drive-by shooting that killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. 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