It's not often that Noel Gallagher isn't the most famous person in the room but that was the case when he sat down for the first interview with the new man in the Etihad dugout, Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola's arrival in Manchester - and particularly the reunion of his often caustic relationship with Jose Mourinho - will be one of the most interesting subplots ahead of the new Premier League season.
And, as the Spaniard told Gallagher, he's not coming into the season ahead with any pre-conceptions as to how it might go.
At Barcelona and Bayern, we were able to win [several games in a row]. People say that we were able to do that because we were in Barcelona and Bayern, but we won't be able to do that in England. OK - let's try!
I have never been here before, I have never experienced it before. That is why I am here.
There was even a nice little dig at Man United and the team that the Catalan boss is inheriting in comparison to Jose Mourinho.
Noel didn't pick up on it but here's a little dig at United from Pep ? pic.twitter.com/PyR2dSQhpn
— ㅤ (@Beardamendi) July 4, 2016
The interview is a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of one of the game's most successful managers as he takes on what most analysts would suggest is his biggest challege yet in management. Manchester City clearly have the personnel and the resources to match anyone in world football but the Spaniard will have to match wits with some of football's best managers in Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Jurgen Klopp, Arsene Wenger and, of course, Claudio Ranieri if he is to continue his remarkable record of success.
