Have you heard the one about the Scotsman, the Portuguese, the Norwegian and the two Dutchmen? It is not a snappy punchline or particularly funny if you're of a Manchester United persuasion.
The aforementioned quintet of managers signed players over a 12-year period and they were assembled in the same squad for the club's biggest FA Cup final in a generation.
United's opponents 17 days ago? Only one City player was not recruited during Pep Guardiola's seven-year reign (Kevin de Bruyne). "They slowly got rid of the players not of the complete mentality," Arsene Wenger said on the eve of the Champions League final. Exclusive: United want to sign a new No.1 this summer In a summer where United pussyfoot over a busted flush of a goalkeeper, it is worth recalling that six years ago City's quartet of full-backs all left.
Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy were released and Aleksandar Kolarov was sold. Guardiola quickly undermined Sergio Aguero with the purchase of Gabriel Jesus and he coveted Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.