How is Pep Guardiola dominating English football outside of Manchester City
Pep Guardiola has become one of the best football managers in history, dominating in Spain with FC Barcalona, Germany with Bayern Munich, and England with Manchester City.
Guardiola joined Manchester City in 2016 and has won 11 major trophies, including four Premier League titles.
The serial winner isn't used to being second, but that's where they are, fighting with table toppers Arsenal, who find themselves eight points ahead of City in the league.
Two of the top four Premier League clubs have connections to Guardiola, with rampant Arsenal being led by former Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, who worked with Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
The top of the Premier League and Championship is controlled by Pep's disciples, let's explore their connection with the Spanish coach and their success in their jobs.
Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola have known each other for years. The pair played for Barcelona at the start of the century.
Arteta became an assistant manager at Manchester City in Guardiola's first season with the club. In three years at the club as a coach, Arteta helped City win two league titles, an FA Cup, and two Community Shields.
The former Manchester City assistant manager was appointed the manager of Arsenal in 2019, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in his first season as a manager.
Arteta has implemented a Guardiola slick, fast, and aggressive style on his Arsenal player, and it's worked wonders, flying at the top of the league, winning 23 games and losing three.
Another man who has revived his team from past failure is Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, helping United challenge in the top four and bringing back silverware to Old Trafford.
Guardiola and ten Hag worked together in Munich when Pep was in charge of Bayern Munich's first team and ten Hag was the boss of Bayern Munich's second team.
In the time the pair spent together in Munich, they developed a close connection. Bayern won the Bundesliga, German Cup, and Club World Cup when they were both there.
Now ten Hag is challenging Pep at the top of the Premier League table, creating a team that's aggressive and fast-paced on the counterattack.
Whilst Guardiola has a stranglehold on the top of the Premier League with influence on the best three teams in the league, a former player of his is creating his legacy in the Championship.
Championship table toppers Burnley are coached by former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, who is coasting with ease back to the Premier League.
Burnley is currently top of the Championship by 11 points, winning 24 games and losing two all season. Kompany's side can still break Reading's Championship points record of 106 with the games they have remaining.
As it stands, Pep's coaching influence has cemented three of the top four spots in the Premier League and the top spot in the Championship.