The story of Erik ten Hag and Pep Guardiola's two years together at Bayern Munich ahead of Manchester United vs Man City

When Erik ten Hag was in charge of Bayern Munich's B team some at the club had a nickname for him: Mini Pep. Before any follically challenged readers write in to complain, this had more to do than just a lack of hair.

The two men didn't see an awful lot of each other at Saebener Strasse. In many ways, their jobs were quite separate. Their teams were competing in different leagues with different targets. But what they did share was an obsession for football and this led to the nickname that Ten Hag was, in effect, just a Dutch Guardiola.

In reality, the idea Ten Hag is a 'mini' version of Guardiola doesn't really pass the litmus test. He's actually the older man by 11 months, for starters. But the fact that's how he was viewed during the time they shared in Munich also says a lot about their career paths which have converged this season and will do so again most compellingly of all at Wembley, when Manchester United will try and stop Manchester City taking a significant step towards the treble.

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Ten Hag gave up a job in the Eredivisie with Go Ahead Eagles, having just got the club promoted for the first time in 17 years, to take over a side that played their football in Germany's fourth tier. Ten Hag once called it an "unlogical move". Guardiola, meanwhile, had started just his own job in Munich after his year-long post-Barcelona sabbatical.

He might have begun his ascent to coaching with an eclectic end to his playing career, but his apprenticeship was one season in charge of Barcelona's B team. Ever since his first season at the Nou Camp and that wondrous treble, he has had his pick of clubs. City spent years building the conditions to attract him