Manchester United legends hit out at Old Trafford club ‘copying’ Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City’s footprint on the modern day runnings of Manchester United has received intense criticism from key figures of the Old Trafford club’s past.

In a frank and revealing conversation, two members of United’s famed ‘Class of ‘92’ have voiced frustrations at what they see as the club’s growing dependence on Manchester City’s blueprint for success.

Their comments come amid a growing sense of identity loss among Manchester United fans, with the club’s footballing and executive direction increasingly influenced by those who built their careers across the city at the Etihad Stadium.

United’s new leadership group under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS ownership has placed major emphasis on restructuring the club from top to bottom, recruiting figures with proven experience in elite football operations. However, that process has drawn criticism from former players who feel they are losing touch with their history and traditions in the process.

The appointments of chief executive Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox – both formerly of Manchester City – have been seemingly controversial among former players. While seen by many as a signal of professionalism and ambition, some believe it represents a deeper identity crisis.

Speaking as part of a wider conversation with The Times’ Paul Hirst, both Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have hit out at United over the City-fication of their former club in recent years through senior board hirings of Etihad-connected officials.

“You’ve got [director of football] Jason Wilcox, [chief executive] Omar Berrada, then there’s others [who previously worked at City]. I don’t think Manchester United should do that,” insisted Scholes.

“City have been good for the past ten years, so we hope they bring a bit of that, but it’s not what a Manchester United person would want. It’s not what we want and it’s probably not what the fans want either,” he continued.

“You talk about DNA, there’s nobody there who knows what a Manchester United person is. [Under-18s coach] Darren Fletcher is the only one who knows anything about what it’s like to be a Manchester United player.

“And look, you don’t always have to be the best player, but you just have to have the balls to be able to play for the club, don’t you?”

As for the thoughts of Nicky Butt, the former Manchester United midfielder said, “It’s unbelievable. Every City staff member goes to Man United now. Real Madrid wouldn’t do it with Barcelona or vice versa.

“If you have a DNA that’s solid, you should go and handpick really good coaches – United did with Kieran McKenna. You see a shining light at Tottenham and bring him in and he teaches you things but right now, there’s no one [from United’s history] except Darren Fletcher.”

The remarks will likely reignite the debate over Manchester United’s long-term football identity under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS regime, particularly as the club attempts to close the competitive gap to Manchester City and others at the summit of English and European football.

While Berrada and Wilcox were key figures in building City’s structure of success under Pep Guardiola and Ferran Soriano, their move to Old Trafford highlights a broader trend of United adopting best practices from their rivals – a notion that does not sit comfortably with the club’s traditionalists.

As the 2025/26 season progresses, scrutiny over the INEOS project will only intensify. Results on the pitch, coupled with whether Manchester United’s new hierarchy can instil a fresh sense of belief and consistency, will determine whether this approach is viewed as smart modernisation or as the ultimate symbol of how far they have fallen behind neighbours.