Manchester City upset local rivals United 2-1 in the Manchester derby clash at Old Trafford
This was the first time that arch rivals Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have met in the Premier League
Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring for the visitors after a lapse of concentration from Daley Blind
Kelechi Iheanacho doubled City's lead after reacting when De Bruyne's effort rebounded off the post
Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled a goal back for United after a costly spill from debut keeper Claudio Bravo
Former Barcelona keeper was fortunate to escape punishment after rash tackle on Wayne Rooney
In truth Pep Guardiola was only half right. He insisted before this game it wasn’t about the managers, but the players, the ones we come to watch.
And he is right of course. But there is reason why Jose Mourinho and Guardiola are the most-feted managers in the game right now.
As yet, they haven’t made their full impact on these clubs. That will come in time. But in the week in which Paul Scholes correctly observed that the standard of Premier League games is well below the best overseas, this at least was an appetiser for a forthcoming feast.
It wasn’t perfect. There were too many stray passes and hacked clearances for that. And there was Claudio Bravo struggling to acclimatise. But it was very good: absorbing from start to finish and engaging at every turn, even without the multiple Machiavellian sub plots. It entertained and not just in that blood-and-fury Premier League way, though it had that as well.
There was Kevin De Bruyne, dictating at times, always dangerous and exuding quality; there was Zlatan Ibrahimovich’s finish on the half volley, though he missed several others; there was David Silva’s subtle prompting and there was Marcus Rashford’s youthful zeal.
In the end there was a City victory, though United had done enough to encourage their fans that they can at least be on a par with their rivals this season. And there was an Old Trafford crowd, which sounded and felt something from another era, when passion was less manufactured.
And overseeing it were two managers at the top of their game. First half, City had the Pep affect in full. There was the smooth passing, the intense pressing and the tactical structure which had United and Mourinho bamboozled. In September, no-one can make definitive statements but City came close to planting their flag in the Old Trafford centre circle and taking ownership of the game.
Then came the fightback, orchestrated by Rooney and Ibrahimovich initially but then supplemented by Mourinho. The substitutions came boldly at half time, with Henrikh Mkhataryan and Jesse Lindgard off and Rashford and Ander Herrera on.
Rooney went wide, Pogba moved int an attacking role and Rashord also out wide. Guardiola had to respond, so effective were the changes, so quickly had the game changed in United’s favour. On came on extra holding midfielder in Fernando and De Bruyne nominally took up duties as a No.9.
The game itself has started relatively slowly, Paul Pogba shooting over and Alek Kolarov wasting a free kick opportunity. But it was deceptive. Gradually City’s superiority would asserted itself. The first blow came quickly, unexpected.
City were playing it out from the back when suddenly they went all Wimbledon, circa 1989. Kolarov opted for a long, lofted clearance, Kelechi Iheanacho got the flick on and De Bruyne was in, courtesy of Daley Blind’s awful misreading of the situation.
Spurned by Mourinho at Chelsea, the Belgian was cool with his two touches and neat finish to make it 1-0. City celebrated but his was just a prelude. In front, they began to strangle the life out of United; where the hosts were disjointed, slow and clumsy, City were slick and vibrant.
When Wayne Rooney clashed with Guardiola, Blind blocked Raheem Sterling in the box but got away with it, it all seemed a bit desperate, as though United were rattled. Bacary Sagna unleashed a ferocious volley just wide and then an uncleared ball dropped for De Bruyne again on 36 minutes. His strike rebounded off the inside of the post but the hapless Blind was playing Iheanacho onside, and from three yards out he turned the ball in.
The takeover of Old Trafford was threatening to mimic the 2011 humiliation. It demanded a response and Mourinho made himself the catalyst, leaping from the bench in exaggerated fashion when David Silva tripped Antonio Valancia. Guardiola protested, Mourinho fumed and Rooney lined up the free kick on 41 minutes.
It was a delight. From the moment it left his boot it was destined for Fellaini’s head at the far post. But debutant Bravo attempted to intercept, failed miserably, landed on his backside and his absorbed his first painful English lesson as Ibrahimovich met the half volley beautifully to drag United back into the game.
In the next four minutes he should have added two more, heading at the keeper from Rooney’s cross and then, with Bravo stranded, under-hitting a shot at goal which was cleared off the line.
Mourinho’s substitutions immediately changed the mood. Rashford scared the life out of Bacary Sagna, Bravo was constantly harassed by Rooney and was fortunate to get away with a high sliding tackle on the Englishman. It seemed Rashford and United’s moment had come when he sprinted away, shot and saw the net ripple, but the ball had hit an offside Ibrahimovich.
Thereafter, City hit United on the break, De Bruyne painfully close to sealing the win when he hit the inside of the post while Fernandinho forced a fine save from De Gea from a corner.
At the end, those City players formed a huddle, celebrated with gusto and then went to acknowledge their supporters. It was a significant battle but you suspect the war will be long and hard.
No comments:
Post a Comment