Manchester City’s interim captain, Kyle Walker, acknowledges that the team has a significant distance to cover before reaching the stature of Manchester United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s era and Liverpool in the 1980s.
While City has the opportunity to make history by clinching a fifth major trophy in a calendar year if they defeat Fluminense in the Club World Cup final, Walker emphasizes that despite last season’s triumphs in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, the team is not yet on par with the achievements of United in 1998/99. Despite the potential for City to be recognized as the first English side to win five major trophies in a calendar year, Walker believes it will take several years before they are regarded in the same light as the legendary teams of the past.
In anticipation of Friday’s game, Walker states, “I don’t think we’ll be looked at differently for a good couple of years. To go and achieve what the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United did…they did it year in, year out for a number of years. So to be considered the best club in the world is obviously a great achievement, but the lads know that we’re just starting the building blocks for this club. Hopefully, we’re starting a new generation.”
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While City aims to secure a fourth consecutive Premier League title under Pep Guardiola and a sixth in seven years, their 2023/24 campaign has faced challenges, including dropped points in seven games. Walker emphasizes that, despite City’s impressive achievements, they still fall short compared to the sustained success of Manchester United under Ferguson for nearly two decades.
“We take great pride in what we’ve done, but for me, and we’ve won five in six years, to be recognized as one of the top clubs in the world, we have to do it for a little bit longer,” Walker concludes. Despite City’s success, United, post-Ferguson, has struggled to reclaim their former glory in the Premier League, undergoing managerial changes in pursuit of a resurgence, while City has continued its success with six titles, including Manuel Pellegrini’s triumph in 2013/14 followed by five under Guardiola.