across Manchester's footballing divide but City
manager Pep Guardiola hopes his old foe Jose
Mourinho wins the Europa League with United.
City strengthened their claim for a top-four spot in
the Premier League with a 5-0 romp against
Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday –
goals from David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Kevin De
Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi
sending them above Liverpool into third on goal
difference.
United are four points further back in fifth ahead of
their trip to sixth-placed Arsenal on Sunday, with
Mourinho set to ring the changes as the match falls
in the middle of his team's Europa League semi-
final with Celta Vigo.
Marcus Rashford's free-kick ensured United
returned from Vigo with a 1-0 advantage on
Thursday and, although Guardiola might have
understandably selfish reasons to want Mourinho's
focus to lie elsewhere, he talked up the benefits of
the Premier League having its Champions League
representation bolstered for next season.
"We have four teams fighting for two places," he
told a post-match news conference.
"Hopefully United can focus on the Europa League
and next season we shall see five English teams in
Europe which would be amazing."
If City can retain the form that brought the Eagles
to earth they should not require any favours from
other teams.
Guardiola has regularly complained of his team
failing to take their chances over the course of
seven draws at home this term and, after seeing a
more clinical side to their work, he again wondered
what might have been in a season where he will
finish trophyless for the first time in his coaching
career.
"Tottenham [in a 2-0 win at White Hart Lane last
October] is the only team I can think of who
created more chances than us [in a game]," he
said.
"We are the best team in the league when it comes
to creating chances - there is no competition.
"Our problem is finishing these chances - this is
the most difficult thing in football. Against United [a
0-0 draw in City's previous home game] we
created 19 chances - no goals."
Silva returned from a hamstring injury sustained
during City's FA Cup semi-final defeat last month
to open the scoring and turn in a virtuoso display,
while De Bruyne took centre stage after the break
with assists for centre-backs Kompany and
Otamendi either side of a strike of this own.
"The teams with the top quality players don't lose
the ball in the opposition area. David is one of
these players," Guardiola added.
"He rarely loses the ball. Kevin was also excellent
and he was unlucky hitting the post again - I think
that’s his 10th this season."
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