With the new 2016/17 Premier League season back this weekend, can both Manchester clubs considerably improve upon their 4th and 5th placed finishes last season. With the gargantuan appointments of Guardiola and Mourinho in the North West expect both sides to be fighting tooth and nail in their bid to win the Premier League.
Manchester City
In the season known for high-quality managerial appointments, have Manchester City pulled off a huge coup in securing Pep Guardiola?
With the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager, they have a man who will be desperately keen to show that he can add to his glittering CV and build a team to dominate both the Premier League and Europe.
This season represents the chance for both the manager and the club to start a football revolution and make history for the noisy neighbours.
The Spaniard will be keen to reassert Manchester City's domestic dominance as a starting point, but for the club to truly progress and position themselves at the top of the tree, they will need to win the Champions League.
A number of high-profile players have seemingly peaked, with the likes of Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta prime examples of players that will eventually need replacing.
Pep Guardiola and the board have recruited well, with the signings of Ilkay Gundogen from Borussia Dortmund, Nolito from Celta Vigo and Leroy Sane from Schalke part of a new influx of players that can inject some life into the Manchester City squad.
Manchester City have always had the financial muscle and they have also had excellent levels of success with two Premier League titles and they will be looking to add to that tally with Guardiola, who has a phenomenal level of success of winning league titles.
During his three seasons at Bayern Munich they were able to win three consecutive Bundesliga titles and despite his failure to win the Champions League there, he had an excellent stint in Bavaria.
They face a huge challenge this season with the likes of Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Antonio Conte at Chelsea, Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham and Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool.
It will be a massive achievement to finish in the top four but as a proven winner Guardiola will be looking at bringing the first Premier League title of the new era.
Manchester United
For Manchester United, they have really struggled since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson and with two failed appointments in David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal.
The appointment of Jose Mourinho represents the last chance saloon for Ed Woodward, who has been the figurehead for the disastrous three years on the pitch for United.
This season represents the chance for two fallen giants to restore their credentials and rise up to the top of English football once again, with Mourinho and Manchester United both looking to make a huge statement and prove they are a match made in heaven.
They have been very active again in the transfer market with three signings made already and the world record signing of Pogba seemingly a formality in the coming days.
The signings of Eric Bailly, Henrik Mkhitaryan, and the free signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic have been a huge statement of intent from United and with the signing of Paul Pogba they now have the icing on the cake for the club, as they bid to win a first Premier League title for four years.
They have had a mixed pre-season with a heavy defeat against Dortmund, a cancelled match against Manchester City and a thumping win against Galatasaray mean United still have much to prove if they are to challenge for the Premier League.
They secured an excellent win against Premier League champions Leicester City last weekend with a 2-1 win and this will provide Jose Mourinho with a far better marker of his side's current standing and the areas in which he will have to improve.
They face a huge challenge this season with the likes of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Antonio Conte at Chelsea, Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham and Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool.
It will be a massive achievement to finish in the top four but as a proven winner Mourinho will be looking at bringing the first Premier League title of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era back to Old Trafford.
Manchester City Betting Tips
City to win the Premier League outright @ 9/4
City to register a top four finish @ 2/9
Sergio Aguero to be the Premier League's top goalscorer @ 7/2
Manchester United Betting Tips
United to win the Premier League outright @ 3/1
United to register a top four finish @ 4/11
Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be the Premier League's top goalscorer @ 9/1