Jose Mourinho claims Pep Guardiola has got the players he inherited to thank for Manchester City's success this season.
The Manchester United manager has been left in his long-time rival’s wake this term - currently sitting 16-points adrift of the Premier League leaders.
City could be crowned champions with victory against United next month - but Mourinho insists Guardiola’s success has come on the back of taking over such a strong squad that already included David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero.
“In the last seven years the worst position of Manchester City in the Premier League was fourth,” he said. “In the last seven years Manchester City was champions twice and if you want to say, three times. They were second twice.
“That’s heritage. Do you know what is also heritage? Is that (Nicolas) Otamendi, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, (Raheem)Sterling, Aguero - they are investments from the past, not from the last two years.”
Guardiola has spent over £450m since taking over at City - signing star names like Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus and John Stones.
Mourinho has also spent heavily - breaking the world record for £89m Paul Pogba and signing Romelu Lukaku for £75m.
But he insists the squad he inherited from Louis van Gaal required far more work than the one Guardiola took charge of.
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He added: “Do you know how many United players left the club last season?
“See where they play, how they play, if they play.
“That’s football heritage and one day when I leave, the next Manchester United manager will find here Lukaku, (Nemanja) Matic, of course (David) De Gea from many years ago. They will find players with a different mentality, quality, background, with a different status, know-how.”