Eric Cantona has complemented Pep Guardiola and Manchester City ahead of the Manchester derby on Saturday.
Cantona, who won four Premier League titles with United during his five-year spell at the club, was interviewed by Richard Broadbent of The Times.
Asked whether sport could be considered an art form, Cantona referenced Guardiola’s reign at City and Johan Cruyff’s Total Football influence on his style of play.
The Frenchman said, “I am not a fan of Man City, of course, but I love watching [them] and the way they play.
“I grew up with Johan Cruyff and he gave me this passion for creating. With Ajax and Holland, it was a revolution in football.
“Then he became manager at Barcelona and he changed football again: [Pep] Guardiola is the spiritual son of Johan Cruyff.
“We can see that. He has his own way, the way he enjoys it; the way people enjoy it.”
Admittedly, Guardiola has encouraged these stylistic tactics in the Premier League since his arrival in 2016.
Cantona’s nod to Cruyff also rings true for Erik ten Hag.
United’s manager, along with his Dutch upbringing, thrived within Ajax’s organisation as its head coach.
With such, there are clear parallels between Cruyff’s Total Football philosophy and Ten Hag’s efforts to implement his mark at Old Trafford.
To reach Guardiola’s level of success at City, however, will take time and many training sessions of practicing automatisms to replicate. And maybe a Middle Eastern country with a bottomless pit of cash to throw at the project.
