RALPH Hasenhuttl has labelled Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as “always the best manager or one of the best in the world”.

The Austrian will be going head-to-head with the serial winner for the second time this campaign when City travel to St Mary’s for a televised Premier League clash tomorrow.

Although they have played one more game than second-place Liverpool, City already have an 11 point gap at the summit of the division and have won each of their last 12 matches.

What is most remarkable is that Guardiola has done the job he has done in defence of their league title without a recognised number nine. Only Gabriel Jesus, who operates now as a winger instead, would have been considered a true forward.

The Cityzens were linked with moves for world-class attackers Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo heavily during the summer window, but none of those came to fruition.

Of course, it is not like they do not have eye-watering amounts of talent in their ranks – which they added to still with a £100million deal for Aston Villa and England wizard Jack Grealish.

Regardless, Hasenhuttl said of his opposite number: “I think he is for me always the best manager or one of the best in the world.

“He deserves this title every season because for me the toughest title you can win is the Premier League title.”

He explained: “It's tougher than the Champions League because you have to be so consistent over such a long time against such good teams.

“It's so tough. This is why he is one of the best for me.”