‘It was very important that I was not in competition with Manchester United.’

Peter Schmeichel has claimed he would never have signed for Man City had they been in their current incarnation.

Having been Manchester United’s #1 for 8 years and achieving legendary status, Schmeichel signed for Man City in 2002 after spells in Portugal and at Aston Villa.

But whilst Roberto Mancini’s side are champions of England now, back then they had just been promoted back into the Premier League and didn’t pose the threat they do to Manchester United now.

A club ambassador, Schmeichel insisted ahead of a Q&A in London with Denis Law that had City been as big a rival to United as they are now he would never have signed for them:

“I would never have played for Manchester City had they been what they are today. The club now is nothing like the one I was at. Maybe the kit man is still there but that is about it.

“They had just been promoted from the Championship when I joined them, it was very neutral in the way they competed with Manchester United.

“Even when I went to Aston Villa it was very important that I was not in competition with Manchester United.”