The snow fell and so, one by one, have the Premier League title contenders by virtue of Manchester City winning the 175th Manchester derby and opening up a formidable 11-point lead that has all but ended this race. It is December but this feels over. It is surely now all about who finishes second, third and fourth.
This was a crushing defeat for United and for their manager Jose Mourinho whose side were outplayed even if Pep Guardiola’s team were not at their best (the sublime David Silva apart). City benefited from two inadvertent ‘assists’ from United striker Romelu Lukaku who did not have a touch inside the City penalty area before he made two horrible ones in his own to gift the goals, with Nicolás Otamendi involved in both, scoring the second which proved decisive.
Even so City were, late on, indebted to a remarkable, world-class double save by goalkeeper Ederson with Lukaku’s fierce shot blocked – hitting the Brazilian in the throat – only for him to recover and brilliantly beat out the follow-up by substitute Juan Mata.
Mourinho had warned against tactical fouls and diving – for the record the only player booked for that in this match was United’s Ander Herrera as he claimed a penalty under Otamendi’s challenge – but he had little response here and ended the encounter urging his team to fire long balls forward as he cut a frustrated figure.
The result means City have now won 14 successive league games, a Premier League record, and ended United’s record-equalling run of 40 home games without defeat. The last time United were defeated here was by City in Sept 2016, of course. City, astonishingly, have 46 points from a possible 48 this season. Which is extraordinary.
Late first-half goals were traded despite City’s dominance with Silva deservedly opening the scoring and Marcus Rashford, somehow, being allowed to draw United level much to their relief. City had claimed 75 per cent possession, had racked up five times as many passes as United but had allowed their rivals back in.
Mourinho sprung a surprise in personnel but not in approach. He included four attacking players –Rashford and Anthony Martial along with Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku – but any expectation that he would go toe-to-toe with City was quickly dispelled. This was about sitting deep, and springing quickly with that quartet trying to prey on City’s desire to win this.
Guardiola also set up differently, asking his front three of Gabriel Jesus – starting ahead of Sergio Agüero, and this was why – to alternate across the front-line with Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané. It proved effective with United’s back-four struggling to contain them.
So City carried the threat. In the first 25 minutes City completed 185 passes to United’s 31 – and that continued – with just under 50 per cent of United’s passes going astray. It was not pretty but it was pretty effective from the home side with the City fans chanting: “Park the bus, park the bus, Man United.”
Still, maybe, City should have had a penalty when Herrera appeared to haul Otamendi to the ground as he attempted to reach a free-kick and then another as Gabriel Jesus weaved his way into the area. Again Herrera was involved although, this time, it appeared that Jesus went down easily which will have brought a wry smile to Mourinho’s face given his pre-match comments about diving.
There may also have been another when Kyle Walker was cautioned – a tactical foul? – as he halted Herrera as he attempted to mount a counter-attack and while United were feeding of scraps. The half-chances fell to City with Sterling playing a smart ball through to Jesus who attempted to flick it goalwards and then Jesus ran at Marcos Rojo, dumping him to the turf, only to shoot weakly at David De Gea.
“Attack, attack, attack,” chanted the United fans but their side was contained deep in its own half: partly tactical, largely because of the inevitable dominance of possession from City with Kevin de Bruyne and Silva inevitably dictating the tempo. Finally they created an opportunity with Silva crossing from the left to Sane, who cushioned it on his thigh and struck a powerful rising shot that De Gea superbly tipped over for a corner.
From it, City scored. Otamendi and Lukaku challenged for a header with the ball rebounding off Lukaku’s chest – was there a push by the defender? – to Silva who hooked it past De Gea from close-range. Now United had to respond, surely?
Out of nothing, they equalised with a deep cross from Rojo skimming off Fabian Delph, erring as he let it run through, bouncing off his chest, and Rashford pouncing to steer a low right foot shot back across Ederson and into the net. Otamendi was also at fault, as he had attempted to head clear, while Ederson also got his angles wrong.
To make matters worse for City De Bruyne, of all people, had messed up a counter-attack just before United struck as he mis-placed a pass to Sane.
City made a change with Vincent Kompany, who had struggled and did not appear fit, taken off at half-time, with Fernandinho dropping back while United also made a defensive change as they lost Rojo who had gashed his head in a challenge on David Silva.
It seemed Lukaku was groggy also as he messed up again after Herrera had given away a foolish free-kick. Silva took it and it appeared Lukaku would half-volley away only for his clearance to strike Chris Smalling on the back. It dropped to Otamendi who executed his own half volley – beyond De Gea.
Interestingly Guardiola reacted by withdrawing Jesus – who had faded – with Eliaquim Mangala brought on in central defence and Silva moved into the role of ‘false nine’. He clearly anticipated an aerial bombardment and wanted more height. Fernandinho moved back into midfield with, soon after, Lukaku given the chance to redeem, as he ran at Mangala, only to blaze over the cross-bar, but it was his fellow Belgian, De Bruyne, who forced the next save as he drove goal-wards and fired in a powerful low shot that De Gea did well to push away for a corner.
Mourinho turned to Zlatan Ibrahimovic but not before Rashford had forced an alert save from Ederson at his near post after Delph again lost the ball. There was then Ederson brilliance before, in injury-time, substitute Bernardo Silva broke away for City but was denied by De Gea. But City had their win.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_iWElUbMvQ
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