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| Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side beat Mourinho's United 2-1 at Old Trafford back in September. |
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes local rivals
Manchester United can still challenge for a Champions League
qualification spot this season but added that Jose Mourinho's side are a
"long distance" off the title pace.
United are currently nine points off fourth-placed City in the Premier League table following Sunday's 1-1 draw at Everton, which maintained the club's worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Mourinho's side are 13 points behind leaders Chelsea, who won 3-1 at City on Saturday to avoid being overtaken at the top by their hosts.
Guardiola
said that, while he thought resurrecting their title hopes would be
difficult, United could still challenge for a return to the Champions
League next year after missing out on this season's competition.
"I saw the games against Stoke and Burnley, and other ones at Old
Trafford," Guardiola told his prematch news conference ahead of
Tuesday's Champions League match at Celtic.
"They deserved by far
to win the games but football is like this. United have the quality, the
history, the manager and the players to be there.
"Of course, 13
points is a long distance, especially when one team is winning games
with the quality of Chelsea. So it is not easy. But to be in the first
four? Of course."
City have already ensured their progress into
the round of 16 in Europe, qualifying as runners-up in their group
behind Barcelona.
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