Manchester City 0, Manchester United 1 (Carabao Cup Semi Final – Manchester City win 3-2 on Aggregate)
Nervous Manchester City qualified for the final of the Carabao Cup despite a 1-0 defeat to a Manchester United side who finished with 10-men in a tense encounter.
Embed from Getty ImagesNemanja Matic had an eventful game for the Reds – he scored for United from a poorly cleared Fred free kick after 35 minutes before picking up his second yellow card with 14 minutes to go.
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s men had the better of the game despite less possession and fewer clear chances as City saw two goals by Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero chalked off by VAR for offside while David Silva passed up the chance of a shot on goal, deciding to pass the ball back to Ilkay Gundogan with just David De Gea to beat.
Fred had a chance to go for glory with a late free kick but hit the City wall as United won the game but lost the tie.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 0, Manchester United 1 (Carabao Cup Semi Final – Manchester City win 3-2 on Aggregate)
Claudio Bravo: 6. Beaten at the back post by United’s first shot on target – a swept shot by Nemanja Matic.
Kyle Walker: 6. Solid in defence. Not much he could do about the goal. Became more adventurous in the second half and had a 30 yarder saved by De Gea.
Nicolas Otamendi: 6. Joined by unfamiliar partners in defence but stuck to his task.
Joao Cancelo: 6. Unfamiliar role at the left side of central defence but got into the role, intercepting the ball before Andreas Pereira could carry it beyond him in the final 16 minutes.
Rodrigo: 6. Helped shield the defence alongside Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Sat deep in midfield trying to create but disrupted by United.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7. Wide on the right as a wing back, was a bit deeper than he might have liked but still managed to have a pop on goal and find some clever passes – and from one of these Raheem Sterling thought he had scored but was adjudged offside by VAR.
Bernardo Silva: 6. Did his fair share in both boxes, sadly his clearing header only made it to Nemanja Matic who scored, rolled a cross/shot past the back post minutes later.
Riyad Mahrez: 6. Sprayed a shot in early on. Rotated out wide to cover De Bruyne.
Sergio Aguero: 7. Flying header and a rising shot palmed away by David De Gea early on, worked hard for the team but was not at his best. Thought he had scored in the 84th minute but was thwarted by VAR again after a delicious ball through by Joao Cancelo.
Raheem Sterling: 6. Still struggling for form. Bundled over by Harry Maguire as both went for a ball into the box. Linked up well with Sergio Aguero but was robbed by Harry Maguire as he went clean through. Was offside when he thought he had equalised in the first half and wet clean through in the second half but was rushed into shooting and skied the chance.
David Silva (on for Riyad Mahrez, 68): 6. Adding more control to midfield but passed up the chance of a shot on goal from 12 yards – inexplicably choosing to pull it back to Ilkay Gundogan who was crowded out immediately.
John Stones (on for Kevin De Bruyne, 90): No time to mark.
Gabriel Jesus (on for Sergio Aguero, 90+2): No time to mark.
David De Gea: 8. Three early saves to deny City. Hurt in collision with Nicolas Otamendi in first half. Also saved Kyle Walker’s 30 yarder as City looked to breach the United defence.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 7. Had hands full looking after both Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva. Not much creativity going forward but did his job defensively.
Victor Lindelof: 6. Torrid time looking after Sergio Aguero. Poor backpass almost allowed Aguero clean through.
Harry Maguire: 8. Escaped an early penalty shout after falling over and taking Raheem Sterling with him as both went for a ball into the box. Great interception to rob Sterling as he went clean through later. Headed over as United made the most of their set pieces. Bundled over by Otamendi for a late free kick which could have levelled the tie.
Luke Shaw: 6. Third centre back. Sold short by a back pass early but got away with it. Sacrificed as United had to go for goals.
Brandon Williams: 7. United’s spare man down their left flank – plenty of danger when he went forward but little end product.
Jesse Lingard: 6. Fairly anonymous and could find his place in the side taken by Bruno Fernandes.
Nemanja Matic: 7. Cute midfield play and he reacted first to the loose ball after City failed to clear Fred’s free kick. Served his defence with some interceptions in the second half but tired in the second half before being sent off for a second booking.
Fred: 7. Played deep, his free kicks were average at best but brought United’s opening goal.
Mason Greenwood: 6. Good movement to little avail. Subbed off at half time.
Anthony Martial: 6. Very little service. Had a long range chance in the second half that at least forced Bravo to make a save.
Daniel James (on for Mason Greenwood, 46): 6. On to catch City on the break, worked hard but United were tiring in the second half.
Andreas Pereira (on for Jesse Lingard, 65): 6. Couldn’t get past Joao Cancelo.
Juan Mata (on for Luke Shaw 79): No time to mark
GOAL – Manchester City 0, Manchester United 1 (Carabao Cup Semi Final – Manchester City win 3-2 on Aggregate)
Man City 0, Man Utd 1: 35. Nemanja Matic swept home a volley off the post after Fred’s free kick was headed out by Bernardo Silva only as far as the Serbian.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 0, Manchester United 1 (Carabao Cup Semi Final – Manchester City win 3-2 on Aggregate)
Man City: Bravo, Walker, Otamendi, Rodri, Cancelo, De Bruyne (Stones 90), Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez (David Silva 68), Aguero (Jesus 90+2), Sterling
Man City Subs not used: Ederson, Zinchenko, David Silva, Foden, Garcia
Booked: Rodrigo 57 (pulling back Jesse Lingard); Otamendi
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw (Mata 79), Williams, Lingard (Pereira 65), Matic, Fred, Greenwood (James 46), Martial
Man Utd Subs not used: Romero, Bailly, Jones, Mata, Dalot
Booked: Matic 51 (foul on Riyad Mahrez), 76 (foul on Ilkay Gundogan); Wan-Bissaka 90+3 (foul on Gabriel Jesus)
Red Card: Matic (second yellow) 76
Goal: Matic 35
Referee: Kevin Friend