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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 modelHart v De GeaAguero: Title slipping awayWhen Geoff met Martial and SterlingWholesale Nike Shoes . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Discount Shoes For Sale . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. https://www.wholesaleshoesusa.com/ .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Cheap Nike Shoes From China . JOHNS, N.Test tours outside Asia have been quite rare for Pakistan lately, and four-Test series even rarer, which is why the next five weeks will be huge for their players and their fans. The last time Pakistan played a four-Test series was also in England, in 2010, on a tour that was fraught with controversy. Since then, they have largely been Asia-bound in Tests.Since June 2011, Pakistan have played 37 Tests, of which 31 have been in Asia - 19 in the UAE, eight in Sri Lanka and four in Bangladesh. Of the remaining six Tests, three have been in Zimbabwe and three in South Africa. And while Pakistans results in Asia have been very encouraging - 16 wins and seven defeats - they lost all three on the tour to South Africa in 2013.Pakistans lopsided Test schedule is a damning reflection of uneven distribution of matches over the last few years. Since June 2011, they have played three Tests outside Asia (excluding games in Zimbabwe), compared to 24 by India and 17 by Sri Lanka in the same period. (Even after this four-Test series in England, Pakistans tally will only go up to seven, less than a third of Indias number.) This lack of exposure to overseas conditions has denied their current players the opportunities to develop in different conditions, and has therefore hurt the team as well. Azhar Ali, for instance, has been playing Test cricket for six years now, but hasnt yet played a Test in Australia, and only three in South Africa.When the Tests do get underway, Pakistan will hope that their batsmen do a bit better than they have on their last few overseas series. Admittedly, it is difficult for batsmen to adjust to conditions they arent accustomed to - especially when the tours are so infrequent - but Pakistans batsmen will at least have the benefit of playing in the second half of the English season, when less rain is expected and conditions are likely to be better for batting.Among the countries with conditions that are most unlike those in Asia, Pakistan have struggled the most in Australia, England and South Africa over the last 15 years. In New Zealand they have done relatively well, winning two of their last three series, and drawing the other. However, in Australia, England and South Africa, Pakistan have struggled in the last decade and a half, winning only four Tests and losing 21. They have only drawn one Test out of 26 in these countries. In nine series, they have lost seeven, and drawn two - against England in 2001 (1-1), and against Australia in England in 2010 (1-1).dddddddddddd They have lost three times to Australia, and twice each to England and South Africa. In most of those series, the batting has been Pakistans biggest problem: only twice in those nine series has their batting average gone beyond 26, while they have averaged below 25 six times. The bowling has disappointed too at times, but for Pakistan that has always been their stronger suit.Since 2000, Pakistan have played 86 Tests in Asia and lost only 22, but in Australia, England and South Africa they have lost 21 out of 26. The batting average drops by 38%, from 38.95 to 24.14, while the bowling average is only slightly poorer. The batsmen have also scored 1.5