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 model Hart v De Gea Aguero: Title slipping away When Geoff met Martial and Sterling Cheap Tom Seaver Jersey . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night. http://www.cheapmetsjerseys.com/?tag=che...t-gooden-jersey. An offseason trade acquisition from Kansas City, Greinkes National League debut was delayed by a non-baseball injury in the spring, and he was 0-1 after dropping an 8-0 decision at Atlanta in his initial appearance with the Brewers on May 4. Wholesale Mets Jerseys . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. Cheap Lenny Dykstra Jersey . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately.SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez took a shutout into the eighth inning, Mike Zunino and Brad Miller both homered and the Seattle Mariners held on for a 6-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. Hernandez (3-0) struck out 11 and shut down Oakland for the second time in a week, becoming the first Mariners pitcher to win three times in the first nine games of a season. With the usual "Kings Court" for Hernandez home starts expanded to a "Supreme Court" encompassing the entire stadium with yellow shirts and "K" cards, Hernandez gave up four hits in the 28th double-digit strikeout game of his career. Zunino chased starter Tommy Milone (0-1) with a two-run shot in the sixth. Miller followed two batters later with a solo homer to centre field with the wind blowing in. Hernandez was charged with two runs and walked none. He has 30 strikeouts against two walks in his three starts. Hernandezs first home start of 2014 was his best performance in the young season. All three of Oaklands four hits off Hernandez came in the span of five batters in the fourth and fifth. Jed Lowries one-out single in the fourth was Oaklands first hit, and Josh Donaldson followed with an infield single. Hernandez pitched out of the jam with strikeouts of Brandon Moss and Yoenis Cespedes. Alberto Callaspo doubled to lead off the fifth and advanced to third on Robinson Canos two-out error at second base. Hernandez struck out Sam Fuld looking to end the inning. Hernandez struck out the side in the seventh, but Daric Barton was hit on the foot by a curveball and Eric Sogard singled to open the eighth. That was it for Hernandez, and Seattles bullpen was shaaky.dddddddddddd Lucas Luetge walked his only batter. Danny Farquhar walked Lowrie on a 3-2 pitch to score Barton. Brandon Moss added a broken-bat single off Charlie Furbush for the second run charged to Hernandez, and Cespedes beat out a potential double play to score another. Furbush threw a wild pitch that Fuld scored on to cut the deficit to 6-4, but Callaspo popped out to end the rally. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his third save. The Mariners needed only three pitches to get to Milone, who was making his first start of the season after postponements caused his turn to be skipped. Abraham Almonte doubled on the first pitch of the game, Miller followed with a bunt single and Canos infield hit gave Seattle a 1-0 lead. Seattle appeared to add another in the fourth when Kyle Seager was ruled to have hit a solo homer down the right field line. The play was reviewed by umpires and the ball was called foul. But Seattle scored twice in the inning when Donaldson and Lowrie committed two-out errors after Dustin Ackleys double. Milone gave up 10 hits and three earned runs in his season debut. NOTES: Oakland OF Coco Crisp did not start for the fourth straight game due to a sore wrist. He pinch-hit in the ninth. ... The As will likely activate OF Craig Gentry from the disabled list Saturday, manager Bob Melvin said. ... Ackley became the first Seattle batter with three hits in a game this season. ... Seattle is still unsure of its starter for Tuesday in Texas. Manager Lloyd McClendon expected a decision before Saturdays game. Likely options are RHP Blake Beavan coming up from Triple-A or RHP Taijuan Walker being activated from the DL. ' ' '