Mourinho not interested in previous Guardiola clashes

Jose Mourinho has played down his personal rivalry with Pep Guardiola ahead of Saturday’s eagerly-awaited Premier League derby between Manchester United and Manchester City.

Mourinho and Guardiola have a long-running feud after the latter was given the Barcelona job over the former in 2008, but the scent of a truce has been in the air in the build-up to the game at Old Trafford.

The Portuguese insisted previous meetings with Guardiola’s teams are not relevant and will have no impact on what happens in Saturday’s match, with both sides defending 100 per cent records in the Premier League.

“They are completely different situations,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.

“Barcelona is Barcelona, it’s not Manchester City. Inter Milan and Real Madrid are not Manchester United.

“It’s different players, different philosophies, different competitions. I can’t see a point where there’s any advantage or disadvantage because our teams have played so many times in the past.”

Home advantage could be key for United, however, and Mourinho believes the atmosphere at Old Trafford might give United the edge over City as he prepares for his first taste of the Manchester derby.

“Sometimes you play a home match and it doesn’t really feel like home,” Mourinho said. “To play at Old Trafford is to feel like you are at home.

“I can imagine against our city rivals the feeling will be even better.

“The stadium will have a fantastic atmosphere, hopefully everything goes well and, if possible, we have three points in our pocket.”