Difficult to see Van Gaal lasting another season, writes Dileep Premachandran

Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour said Sir Alex Ferguson You cannot do anything about that They will always be noisy You just have to get on with your life put your television on and turn it up a bit louderThose words were uttered in September 2009 after a 43 victory over Manchester City Michael Owenrsquos goal deep into stoppage time left Mark Hughes ndash a hero of Fergusonrsquos first titlewinning side ndash incensed and United behind only Chelsea in the table That was where they would finish that season with City coming in three places and 18 points behindSince Fergusonrsquos retirement in May 2013 the shift in the balance of Mancunian footballing power has been stark City have finished first and second while United have trailed in seventh and fourth The points difference over the two seasons has been a whopping 31Testing Times Louis van GaalUnited though have the history But the value of that is now being called into question after an offfield event that really puts into perspective the changing perception of the two teams When Pep Guardiola announced before the Bundesligarsquos winter break that he would be leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season he pretty much ensured that every big club with a managerial vacancy would be on his trailLooking for the right menIn England alone United and Chelsea will be looking for managers in the summer Louis van Gaalrsquos contract at United runs till 2017 but so sterile have the displays been under him that itrsquos difficult to see how hersquoll last till the end of the season leave alone longer Chelsea have Guus Hiddink doing the caretakerrsquos role after Jose Mourinhorsquos sacking A new man will be in place before JuneUnited have 20 titles to their name Chelsea despite chants from other fans about their lack of history have won four since 200405 For City the triumphs in 201112 and 201314 were their first since the halcyon years in the 1960sGuardiola is not just any manager either At Barcelona he created perhaps the most devastating club At Bayern he hasnrsquot managed to replicate that feat but itrsquoll be a brave man that writes off the Bavarians when the competitionrsquos knockout stages begin this month The Bundesliga crown a third successive one is more or less assured with an eightpoint gap to Borussia Dortmund in second place Guardiola had always expressed a desire to work in England but his choice of club speaks volumes about footballrsquos changing landscape Mourinho once the manager most in demand is desperate for the United job United though the Van Gaal project hasnrsquot worked donrsquot share his keenness but may well end up with him now that Guardiola mdash undoubtedly their first choice mdash is off limitsDiego joker in the packThe joker in the pack is Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid Since taking over at the Vicente Calderon where he spent five seasons as a player Simeone has won La Liga the Copa del Rey and the Europa League In 2014 they were 90 seconds away from defeating Real Madrid their mighty neighbours in the final of the Champions LeagueUnder Simeone Atletico have shed the inferiority complex and gone toetotoe with the big boys This season they lead Real by a point though the loss to Barcelona last weekend has severely dented any title hopes But what he has done with a fraction of the resources available to Spainrsquos big two is little short of a football miracleGuardiola has never had to work with a modest hand At Barcelona he inherited a superb squad albeit one that had let standards slip after the Champions League success in 2006 At Bayern he took over a side that had just won the treble City could well run into Bayern in the latter stages of the Champions League this season and as long as they can keep Sergio Aguero fit must still be favourites to lift the epl titleThose that have worked with Guardiola have often spoken of his genius But in choosing City over United he has chosen stability over challenge Reviving a fallen giant like United would have made for a more romantic story Now with the worldrsquos most wanted manager at the helm the noisy neighbours are likely to utterly eclipse the old grandeesDileep Premachandran is Wisden Indiarsquos editorinchief