How 'genius' Pep Guardiola's legacy at Manchester City compares to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal

TNT Sports expert Joe Hart detailed how Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has established a legacy as one of the Premier League's greatest ever coaches.

The Breakdown panel - comprising experts Hart, Martin Keown, Joleon Lescott and Glenn Hoddle - concluded that Guardiola's legacy is among the likes of legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsenal great Arsene Wenger.

Ferguson is widely regarded as the greatest Premier League manager of all-time, enjoying a sustained period of dominance with United, winning 38 trophies during his 26-year tenure.

Wenger, meanwhile, masterminded Arsenal's 'Invincible' season - their most recent Premier League title in 2003/04, alongside winning the FA Cup seven times, and has a reputation as a pioneer in shepherding English football into its new era with a revolutionary style of play.

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But, asked specifically what sets Guardiola apart from the great Premier League managers that came before him, Hart earmarked a number of qualities that helped the Catalan lead City to six Premier League titles.

"I think his relentlessness," Hart said. "To bring players in and accept they're not the best yet, always wanting to build people, make them better.

"He's ruthless. I felt that at the very start, his legacy was how he changed how he wanted people to play.

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"People said that couldn't happen in the Premier League and tried to laugh him out the room when that first season didn't necessarily work. But what I love about his style, and his passion for the game, is he will double down on what he believes in.

"He was willing to change. It wasn't just play, play, play because I say that's how we play. It was play, play, play because I feel like that's the best way to win a football match at the moment.

"We've seen him evolve, we've seen him change, we've seen him at one point play four centre halves. He adapted but, ultimately, he puts his stamp on it and he expects nothing more than everything from every single player, every single person.

"He's exhausting to be around. He knows himself he's exhausting, he gets exhausted just by what's going on in his mind. That's the negative of being a genius.

"And, of course, when it comes to legacy, trophies. Trophies, trophies, trophies, trophies. That's his legacy."

Fellow TNT Sports expert Hoddle agreed with the "genius" sentiment, using the recent example of Guardiola looking within the club's academy to find the versatile Nico O'Reilly - who has become a mainstay in the team, largely operating at left back but also capable in midfield.

"I love watching them play, always have done since Pep's been there," Hoddle said.

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"He won't force it though. If there's an idea he's got, he knows the players that can do that.

"O'Reilly, what he's done with him, before that was [Rico] Lewis. Everyone went, 'Wow, he's putting him into midfield', and you think he's going to be playing for City for a long, long time.

"Suddenly, someone else has come in from the academy, because he's seen it, he hasn't gone and bought someone. He played at No. 10 and then put him at full-back. That's genius."

Speculation has surrounded the future of Guardiola beyond this season, as he surpasses 10 years in charge at the Etihad Stadium.

Keown suggested that Guardiola "owes it" to City to stay on longer, citing the influx of new players at the club, and feels it will be a seismic day for football as a whole when the Spaniard decides to depart Manchester.

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"It's magical, he's sprinkling magic," Keown said. "You can't just take that magician out of the club and it still creates magic. I'm sorry, he's an all-time great.

"I know you can copy, but when he goes, it's not going to be a great day for football."

While Lescott feels Guardiola's legacy transcends far beyond City as a club.

"What he's done, not just for Man City, but English football," Lescott said. "Sunday league is played differently now.

"His impact in English football is bigger than what's done for Man City. If he does walk away, I don't think he owes anything to any player."

Guardiola for England?

Curiosity naturally leads to where Guardiola may end up next.

He has conquered La Liga with Barcelona, dominated the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and enjoyed a trophy-laden era at City.

The Breakdown panel concluded that international management is the logical next step and Hoddle feels England could be a particularly good fit.

"At some stage you could see him fancying the England job," Hoddle said. "We have got some players there for that ilk, creative players, he would have a field day with our squad."

Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel are recent examples of high-profile managers venturing from club football to international.

And Hoddle feels a shift to the international scene, away from the day-to-day responsibilities of club football, could suit the City boss.

"Sometimes it might be the middle ground, rather than saying I'm going to take a year off, completely, like he has in the past," Hoddle said. "This could be perfect - a real stepping stone, if it is Brazil, Spain, England."

'He'd have a field day' - Would Guardiola manage England?

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