MAN UNITED 1, MAN CITY 2
Pep Guardiola yet again got one over on his adversary Jose Mourinho as City won one of the most pulsating Manchester derbies for years.
After all the pre-match hype, this was a game that delivered and certainly lived up to expectations as two of the game’s greatest managers locked horns.
And it was Spaniard Guardiola who came out on top as he has done so often in the past – he has lost only three of their 17 managerial meetings.
Guardiola, with only one defeat in his last 10 matches against Mourinho, had plenty to cheer as City produced a terrific first-half display.
And though United fought back and asked questions of their opponents in the second period, City held on to make it four wins out of four as Guardiola became only the fourth manager to win his first four Premier League games.
Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho put City 2-0 ahead inside 36 minutes as they took control of the derby.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic cut the deficit and United asked plenty of questions of City in a gripping second period.
Guardiola pointed out City had chances to put the game out of United’s reach.
He said: “We had many chances on the counter 3 v 2 and 5 v 4, Kevin De Bruyne had one or two and had an amazing game, but did not finish similar to what happened against Stoke City and West Ham. If you don’t finish, then the game goes to the end.
“It was a big commitment from the players because we know it is difficult to come to Old Trafford.”
Guardiola added that City need more up front if they are to compete agains the best clubs in Europe.
“We have been just two months together and we have time to get this right,” he explained.
Mourinho thought it was a game of two halves admitting his side deserved to be losing at the break, but United were the better side in the second and didn’t deserve to lose.
He said: “We were punished in the first half, and that is my responsibility.
“In the second the responsibility was Mark (referee Clattenburg) as he missed two big decisions.”
Mourinho was referring to a two-footed challenge by City keeper Bravo on Rooney and a handball by Otamendi.
“You are looking at a penalty and red card and me sitting here talking about a different game,” he explained of the Bravo incident.
Mourinho added there were some disappointing first-half displays, but he didn’t want to make substitutions early in the game that would “destroy the players”.
He added he was loathe to make all three changes at the break – he made two – as a long 45 minutes lay ahead and he may have needed cover.
United made two changes from the side that won at Hull City as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard replaced Juan Mata and Anthony Martial.
City handed a debut to former Barcelona keeper Bravo in goal while there were recalls for Bacary Sagna, Aleksandar Kolarov and Iheanacho from the side that beat West Ham in their last game.
Sergio Aguero was ruled out through suspension while Willy Caballero, Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy all dropped down to the bench.
There was a handshake and warm embrace between Mourinho and Guardiola before kick off and captured by a posse of photographers on the touchline.
United had the first goal attempt of the game after seven minutes when Mkhitaryan provided a lay off to Paul Pogba whose effort from 30 yards dipped over the crossbar.
But it was City who made the breakthrough afte quarter of an hour through De Bruyne.
Kolarov’s long clearance out of defence was flicked on by Iheanacho and De Bruyne beat the hesitant Daley Blind to the ball, racing clear to slot the ball low past keeper David De Gea.
City had another good opening when a volley from distance by Sagna dipped narrowly over the bar as they remained in the ascendancy.
And the visitors extended their lead in the 36th minute through Iheanacho who was standing in for the banned Aguero.
De Bruyne was allowed space to fire an angled shot that struck the far upright and rebounded invitingly into the path of the youngster to slot home. Though United appeal for offside, replays showed that he was played onside by Blind.
He later revealed it was a “dream come true” to score in the derby.
United halved the deficit three minutes before the break when Bravo, obstructed by team-mate John Stones, dropped a catch from Rooney’s free kick and Ibrahimovic showed lightning-fast reactions to half volley the ball into the net.
The Swede became only the third player to score in each of his first four Premier League games. Suddenly it was game back on.
And United had two chances in stoppage time to draw level through Ibrahimovic. He could only direct a header at Bravo from Rooney’s free kick while the Spanish keeper was caught out again, but the striker’s weak shot was cleared off the line by Stones.
United made two changes at the break as Mkhitaryan and Lingard, who were off the pace in the opening period, were replaced by Mata and Marcus Rashford.
And immediately Rashford set up Ibrahimovic who volleyed over from seven yards when you wol have expected him to hit the target.
City made their first change eight minutes into the second half when Iheanacho was replaced by Fernando Reges to shore up the midfield as United had started to dictate play.
The nervy Bravo was caught out again by a poor first touch and, trying to regain possession, lunged at Rooney. Though the keeper got the ball it was a two-footed tackle that left Rooney injured, but referee Clattenburg indicated he got the ball.
City’s second change on the hour saw Raheem Sterling replaced by Leroy Sane ho was making his debut after his big-money summer move from German side Schalke.
Rashford found the net, but his joy was shortlived as the goal was ruled os Ibrahimovic was offside as he deflected the shot beyond Bravo.
City remained a threat as De Ge made a double save to deny Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi and then thwart the Brazilian again moments later.
De Bruyne then struck the inside of the upright as the ball flew across the face of goal and Silva’s shot dipped just over as City looked for a third goal to seal victory.
United brought on striker Martial for left-back Luke Shaw with 10 minutes left in a do-or-die move in pursuit of an equaliser.
For all United’s pressure late on, they created little – Ibrahimovic had a shot deflected wide and another scrambled effort was cleared off the line by Stones.