Benni McCarthy: Manchester United faced ‘unbeatable’ era dominated by City and Liverpool

Former Manchester United strikers’ coach Benni McCarthy has described his time at Old Trafford as one defined by the misfortune of competing during one of the most dominant periods in modern football history.

Reflecting on the challenge of taking on both Manchester City and Liverpool FC, McCarthy, who now serves as the head coach of Kenya national team admitted United were often up against sides operating at an extraordinary level.

“But the most unfortunate part for us, we were there at the wrong time. We were there when Manchester City was almost unbeatable,” he explained.

City, under Pep Guardiola, established themselves as a relentless force domestically and in Europe, while Liverpool, driven by Jürgen Klopp’s high-intensity system, pushed standards even higher across competitions.

“Man City and Liverpool FC were just too strong for any team, not just in the Premier League but anywhere in the world. And unfortunately, we had to face them all the time and sometimes [we were] not good.”

His remarks offer a candid assessment of the uphill task United faced despite flashes of progress and cup success, with the club often measuring itself against two sides widely regarded as among the best of their generation.

The period has since come to be viewed as one where consistency at the very top proved elusive for United, not only because of internal rebuilding but also due to the sheer dominance of their fiercest rivals.