Noel Gallagher was blown away by Man City's new chairman in just 90 seconds after meeting

Manchester City are looking for their fourth FA Cup success since Khaldoon Al Mubarak became chairman back in 2008

Manchester City fan and global superstar Noel Gallagher says he was blown away within 90 seconds of meeting Khaldoon Al Mubarak in 2008. Under the stewardship of the 51-year-old chairman, installed by City's current owners after their takeover of the club 18 years ago, City have become a powerhouse in world football.

City, who moved top of the Premier League for the first time since August after their 1-0 win over Burnley, can book their place in the FA Cup final on Saturday with a win over Southampton. Serial trophy-winning manaer Pep Guardiola is into his 10th year in charge at the Etihad Stadium after joining the club ahead of the 2016-17 season.

Al Mubarak was put in charge of City after a move for the club by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was completed. The Oasis star has revealed that the Abu Dhabi businessman fulfilled every promise that he set out to Gallagher when they first met.

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He told TNT Sports: "I remember getting taken to meet Khaldoon [Al Mubarak], the chairman, early on at a game, and when I met him after 90 seconds, I was like this is one of the most impressive men I've ever met in football. He was so eloquent in what was about to happen and so realistic and focused. Everything that he said they were going to do they've done times 10.

"I remember Joleon Lescott saying to me, after the first FA Cup win, your club is going to be in finals and semi-finals from now on and we said “one trophy will do us”. And he was right, every year the standards went up."They had this vision of what the club could be, and no one else did. People of my age, who kept that club going, followed them everywhere in the Third Division – there wouldn’t be a club to take over if it wasn’t for people like me and my generation.

"I just wanted a new kit. The kit we had at the time was awful. If we get a new kit and could somehow win the League Cup because Middlesbrough had won it, that would be enough for my lifetime. Nobody knew it was going to be like this.

"No one had that vision. They did, thankfully, and now we're one of the powerhouses which is funny to think when me and the lads were jumping on the train to Macclesfield on a Friday night."

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Under the guidance of Guardiola, City have moved to dominate the Premier League and embarked on a successful tour of Europe as well as the world, following their Club World Cup triumph in 2023.

The Sky Blues did something that hadn't been managed before when they won four consecutive Premier League titles. After Arsenal opened the door for City to capitalise on their mishaps, there is another chance to add top-flight glory to the glittering collection in East Manchester this season.

The Catalan tactician continued his dominance in world football after orchestrating dynasties in Spain with Barcelona and Germany with Bayern Munich.

Gallagher described knowing Guardiola as "one of life's great pleasures", he said: "Everybody who loves football loves that Barcelona team and when that Barcelona team came to London and they were playing Chelsea or Arsenal, we'd go and see them. Just to see Messi and that midfield - it seemed like it was this brand new way of playing football, where it was just pass, pass, pass, pass, pass.

"It was unbelievable, but I'd never met him. I flew in from Rome. I was on tour and he arrived, and from the minute he walked in, I was sold. I still haven't watched the interview back.

"I was given a lot of questions, I doubt whether I asked any of them. He gave me his phone number, and he took mine, and he said, “Can I call you if I need anything?” I was like, “What?”

"But he wanted to talk about the fans and the history of the club and Manchester. He was and has been amazing. He's a fan and a romantic and he's hardcore and he's a winner. He's a bad loser, all the things you would want your football manager to be. He's funny and he gets that team to do things that no one else can. I have to say, it's been one of life's great pleasures to have known him."

Roll The Tape: 10 Years of Pep Guardiola with Noel Gallagher airs on Saturday at 3.30pm on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final between Manchester City and Southampton, live on TNT Sports