AWKWARD Amorim could have been replacing Pep!

CITY CHIEF'S CLOSE TIES WITH REDS BOSS WOULD HAVE MADE HIM AN OPTION

- By TYRONE MARSHALL

THERE could be a couple of awkward moments in the Etihad directors' box tomorrow.

Ruben Amorim's closest relationship is with the man who is now City director of football Hugo Viana, while Pep Guardiola is likely to save his warmest greeting for the man he replaced, who returns this weekend.

That's not to say that Amorim doesn't have a strong relationship with his United director of football, Jason Wilcox, or that Guardiola isn't striking up a similar rapport with Viana as he had with Txiki Begiristain, who will be a guest of the club after ending his 13-year stay this summer.

But it does strike at the interesting dynamics and subplots that have built up around this rivalry over the previous 12 months, in which time it feels like an awful lot has happened.

In fact, it's been about 11 months since things started to change. That's when City confirmed the appointment of Viana as Begiristain's successor, and when stories started emerging in Portugal that Viana had identified Amorim as Guardiola's replacement.