Former Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has pointed to the red half of Manchester as an example of how a club can overcome the lack of Champions League football.
City’s European fate is hanging in the balance after they were handed a two-year ban by UEFA for financial irregularities.
However, Wright-Phillips, who had two spells with City, says United’s ability to keep their best players while only being able to offer Europa League football can serve as an example to his former club.
“I don’t think a ban means anything for Pep and the top players,” he told the PA news agency.
“If it does stand, which I don’t think it will and I feel they are confident it will get overturned, it is the same as any other club.
“Man Utd have not been in the Champions League for a few years and they have still kept (David) De Gea, players like (Paul) Pogba, and Manchester City will be able to do the same.”
If they can make it three in a row they would be just the second side ever to do so, following Liverpool’s four successive wins in the 1980s.
“I feel like the way Pep manages he wants to win every game and he has a squad depth to be able to do that,” Wright-Phillips said.
“It would be a great achievement, from the 1980s I think the only other team to do it are Liverpool so to equal that will be a tremendous success.
“Coming off a massive result like that, winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu, coming from behind shows the character that is built and instilled in the team.
“I feel they will be ready and pumped to win more silverware.”
“It is something they deserve because when we were down in Division One and even in Division Two they have always sold out,” he said.
“So I feel like they are getting their rewards for supporting the ups and downs of City and now there are a lot of ups.
“I hope they enjoy it.”
