MANCHESTER UNITED 0, MANCHESTER CITY 2
Second half goals by Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane completed a 2-0 win for Manchester City as they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford and went a step closer to the Premier League title.
United played 3 at the back with Matteo Darmian as one of three centre backs and Ashley Young playing a more advanced wing-back role on the right.
City, on the other hand, brought back Vincent Kompany and David Silva to lend more experienced and calm heads for the title showdown at Old Trafford.
A tense start gave way to applause from the home fans as United had clearer chances than City despite a paltry amount of possession – Jesse Lingard’s early volley going wide.
But after the opening quarter of the game City improved and imposed themselves on the game.
Fernandinho’s injury soon after the restart meant a change for City, who brought on Leroy Sane.
Sane’s arrival sparked United’s downfall – with Sterling on the right wing and Sane on the left, the Reds defence was instantly more stretched and Bernardo Silva, who dropped into midfield, scored the opening goal after Ilkay Gundogan found him in the 51st minute.
And Sane forced a second goal in off the luckless David De Gea’s leg after Fred gave the ball away to Vincent Kompany and the City captain released Raheem Sterling for a swift break that ended with the German winger sweeping the ball home.
City ended with total dominance and with one hand on the Premier League title with three games to go while United lost control of their own Champions League destiny and could fail to qualify for next season’s competition.
MAN UTD PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
David De Gea: 5. Had to save a deflected block by Chris Smalling. Could have done better with Leroy Sane’s strike which went in off his leg but also had plenty of time to go after Bernardo Silva’s shot too.
Matteo Darmian: 6. Surprisingly brought in as a third centre back. No attacking ambitions – just sat deep.
Ashley Young: 6. Looked after Raheem Sterling well and at least went forward to attack.
Chris Smalling: 6. Gave David De Gea palpitations with a deflected block which he had to save.
Victor Lindelof: 6. Cut out square pass by Leroy Sane to Sergio Aguero who was waiting for a tap in.
Luke Shaw: 6. Had his hands full looking after Bernardo Silva
Andreas Pereira: 6. Booked early on for dangerous tackle.
Fred: 6. Tried a 30 yarder in an early flurry of chances for United. Buzzed around midfield, pressing City players but crucially gave away the ball which led to a City break and their second goal
Paul Pogba: 6. Slow to track back for Bernardo Silva’s goal. Casual again.
Jesse Lingard: 6. Early volley chance wide, created a chance for Rashford.
Marcus Rashford: 6. Dangerous pace on the break, not afraid of a pot shot. Almost got in a couple of times and was cleaned out by Ederson on a good break but he was offside when released by Lingard.
Romelu Lukaku (for Andreas Pereira 72): 5. Spooned an attempted sidefoot embarrassingly wide after miscontrolling the ball.
Anthony Martial (for Jesse Lingard 83): Too Late to Mark
Alexis Sanchez (for Matteo Darmian 83): Too Late to Mark
MAN CITY PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Ederson: 7. Bravely came off his clean to clear the ball from an onrushing Marcus Rashford. Saved from Romelu Lukaku too after he came on.
Kyle Walker: 7. Pushed up into midfield whenever possible.
Vincent Kompany: 7. Booked early for a mistimed challenge on Marcus Rashford. Captain’s performance to keep his side disciplined.
Aymeric Laporte: 7. Busy start but more comfortable later as United threatened only sporadically. No pressure from United.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7. Pushed into midfield when City were in possession.Tried risky balls and wasn’t afraid of crunching tackles.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Average delivery from set pieces. Raked down by Jesse Lingard in first half injury time. Laid on Bernardo Silva’s goal with great ball through after switching to a deeper playmaking role.
Fernandinho: 7. Hoovered up threats by United. Went down injured in the second half and was replaced by Leroy Sane.
David Silva: 7. Stroking passes around midfield again, finding players but United were packing the centre of midfield just in front of the box. Cut back found Sergio Aguero who hit the post.
Bernardo Silva: 9. Great on the ball, came up with some long range goal attempts and an overhead kick that went wide. Scored with a cool finish after switching to a central midfield role. Never stopped running even when United tried to get attacks going late in the game.
Sergio Aguero: 7. Unselfishly working all over the forward areas again. Shot wide on the stroke of half time after through ball by David Silva. Clipped the post with a curling effort in the second half.
Raheem Sterling: 8. Almost saw his early deflected shot go in off Chris Smalling. Tested De Gea again from 8 yards after an Aguero lay off. Quickly reacted to Vincent Kompany’s break to set up Leroy Sane for City’s second goal.
Leroy Sane (on for Fernandinho 51): 7. Sparked reshuffle for City meaning United’s defence was given something else to think about as they were stretched wider by City’s wingers going around the outside.
Danilo (for Gundogan, 89): No Time to Mark
Gabriel Jesus (on for Aguero 89): No Time to Mark
GOALS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Man Utd 0, Man City 1: 54. Bernardo Silva stroked the ball in from the right side of the area from 12 yards out after being put through by Ilkay Gundogan.
Man Utd 0, Man City 2: 66. Fred gave the ball away to Vincent Kompany who passed to Raheem Sterling. Sterling ran upfield, gave the ball to Leroy Sane with a crossfield pass and the German swept the ball home off the leg of David De Gea after skipping into the area and shooting from 15 yards.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Man Utd: De Gea, Darmian (Sanchez 83), Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Pereira (Lukaku 72), Fred, Pogba, Lingard (Martial 83), Rashford
Man Utd Subs not used: Romero, Mata, Dalot, Matic
Booked: Pereira 24 (High tackle on Oleksandr Zinchenko)
Goals: Bernardo Silva 54, Sane 66
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Laporte, Zinchenko, Gundogan (Danilo 89), Fernandinho (Sane 51), David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Aguero (Jesus 89), Sterling
Man City Subs not used: Muric, Mahrez, Otamendi, Foden
Booked: Kompany 10 (foul on Marcus Rashford), Zinchenko 26 (barged Marcus Rashford off the ball)
Attendance: 74,431
Referee: Andre Marriner