Eddie Howe has some way to go to match Pep Guariola's achievements, but the intent remains the same
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shakes hands with Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola greets Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe
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There has been much blaring of trumpets and beating of drums to herald Pep Guardiola reaching the hugely significant total of 1,000 matches as a manager.
He achieved the milestone in typical fashion with a 3-0 thrashing of Premier League champions Liverpool last time in action. Now he will manage his 1,001st match when he brings Manchester City to St James' Park to take on Newcastle United as he continues to walk a golden road.
A younger boss Eddie Howe will be in charge for the 736th time across the tunnel divide come Saturday tea-time, his 191st with United. At 47 years of age, seven years younger than Pep, he has a considerable bit catching up to do both in terms of games and certainly silverware, but ambition burns brightly.
In paying due lip service to both the King and a Pretender it is worth reflecting where they currently stand amongst the longevity of the greats.
Alex Ferguson is top of the tree having bossed 2,155 games to Arsene Wenger's 1,702, Brian Clough's 1,453 and Bill Shankly's 1,190. The loneliness of the long distance runner, aye, because a manager is on his own in the public glare, but success became their regular companion.
Those of high figures who served Newcastle United among others include Jim Smith 1,641, Bobby Robson 1,446, Rafa Benitez 1,204, Steve Bruce 1,086, and Sam Allardyce 1,064.
Of the current managers we have Nigel Clough on 1,537, David Moyes 1,172, Unai Emery 1,019, and Chris Wilder 1,016.
It's a roll of honour with names in gold letters that stands as a proud monument to each and every one.
What numbers will Pep and Eddie end up hitting? Who knows but what is even more revealing is what the assorted managers have achieved in totting up so many miles and on that score Pep is a true thoroughbred.
He comes to Newcastle looking as though he has got a second wind. Having failed to win a pot last season - a fact even more startling than his successes - Man City are cooking again with Erling Haaland gorging himself on goals and Jeremy Doku suddenly looking a fearsome winger tormenting all in his path. They are back in contention.
Guardiola has claimed a staggering 18 trophies in nine full seasons with City alone - every domestic bauble plus the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Of course Pep enjoyed a certain advantage in collecting trophies by starting at the very top with Barcelona where he was a superstar player - first managing their B side and then the Catalan giants themselves before moving on to Bayern Munich and City, whereas Howe ploughed a lower furrow with Bournemouth lifting them through League Two, League One, the Championship, and eventually into the Premier League with a fleeting period at Burnley in the second tier. It was all a very different sort of challenge but an undoubted success in its own way.
Guardiola and City are the ultimate challenge for Eddie as he attempts to halt United's underwhelming PL season and restore the confidence of his players and belief in Geordie hearts.
It is a tough task for Howe at arguably the lowest point of his SJP career which had previously been exclusively on an upward curve, but he has to face it and overcome it.
He has, of course, the full backing of his board and rightly so. Eddie has plenty of credit in the bank and, besides, United are doing well in the Champions League where they are likely to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time in their history and have also reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup for the fourth successive year.
Neverthless, Howe knows United's league standing must be improved and quickly.