Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
An own goal by Eric Bailly and a far post finish by Bernardo Silva proved more than enough for Manchester City to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford.
United were behind after just 7 minutes after Eric Bailly’s own goal and but for some immense saves by David De Gea City might have matched Liverpool’s first half mauling of the Reds 2 weeks ago.
In any event De Gea’s flapped at a far post effort by Silva to score a second for City which effectively ended the game after Luke Shaw failed to see his late run.
City don’t have finishers of the calibre of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, or Diogo Jota, and De Gea was able to singlehandedly keep United in the game when the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, Joao Cancelo, and even Victor Lindelof (with another own goal) could have made the scoreline look a lot more like the catastrophic Liverpool mauling in United’s last Premier League outing at Old Trafford.
United only had a volleyed chance by Cristiano Ronaldo to show for their feeble efforts today as the Blue half of Manchester passed them to death in the second half – the Pep Guardiola way of finishing off a confident performance at Old Trafford as the pressure continued to heap onto Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in their latest reverse.
Both managers made three changes to their lineups from their European games as United persisted with the 3-4-1-2 system and City rotated their false nine 4-3-3.
With Edinson Cavani out injured Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought back Victor Lindelof, Fred, and Mason Greenwood after Raphael Varane suffered a hamstring issue, Paul Pogba was suspended, and Marcus Rashford continued his rehabilitation from injury with a spot on the bench.
Pep Guardiola had Aymeric Laporte suspended while Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish were left on the bench with Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, and Gabriel Jesus starting at Old Trafford.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut as against Liverpool, United got off to a terrible start and were behind after just 7 minutes after Eric Bailly panicked and stabbed Joao Cancelo’s left wing cross past David De Gea.
He was the first United player to score an own goal in the Manchester derby during the Premier League era as City pressurised the Reds into an early mistake during a one sided first period.
Ronaldo had a 26th minute shot saved by Ederson after United managed to string some passes together when City let up briefly.
City rallied, switching the ball from side to side, and Gabriel Jesus had a shot saved by David De Gea after Luke Shaw blocked a Kevin De Bruyne shot from Foden’s left wing cut back.
De Gea had to be on the ball again to keep out a second own goal from Lindelof after he tried to cut out another cross from the left by Foden with De Bruyne and Cancelo testing him shortly afterwards as the chances rained in.
Ronaldo was offside when getting on to the end of a Wan-Bissaka through ball before testing Ederson as United tried to get level just before the break.
Jadon Sancho replaced Bailly at half time as United switched to a back four and improved vastly over their first half showing.
But United still couldn’t lay a glove on City who were content to slowly retake control of the game with chances by Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden going astray.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Manchester United Player Ratings – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
David De Gea: 6. Saved from Gabriel Jesus, Joao Cancelo, Victor Lindelof, and Kevin De Bruyne as City tried to extend their lead. Spoiled it somewhat by losing concentration and flapping at Bernardo Silva’s shot which went in from close range.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 4. Lost Joao Cancelo for the early goal and allowed Phil Foden to get behind him. Did little going forward after the break.
Eric Bailly: 5. Calamitous defending to give away an own goal. Hooked at half time.
Victor Lindelof: 5. Nobody to mark, didn’t want to step into midfield, and almost hit an own goal of his own from Phil Foden’s cross. Couldn’t cope with the City man.
Harry Maguire: 5. Sent a Luke Shaw header wide. Ball watching when Joao Cancelo’s cross came in for Bernardo Silva.
Luke Shaw: 5. Got into some good positions including defensively when he blocked a Kevin De Bruyne shot on the line. Switched off for Bernardo Silva’s goal on the stroke of half time. Injured in the second half after clash with Rodri and replaced under concussion sub rules after a head injury.
Bruno Fernandes: 5. Tried to do his bit defensively but could not stop Joao Cancelo. Rattled and showed it late on when he went in late on Kevin De Bruyne.
Scott McTominay: 5. Outnumbered in midfield but tried to link play together with little success.
Fred: 4. Could not stop Bernardo Silva. Last sighted risking more forward runs as United desperately tried to piece together moves of their own.
Mason Greenwood: 5. Dropped deep to try and mark Rodri out of the game to little effect. Too deep to make much of an impression going forward – saw a shot go wide.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 5. A frustrated passenger until he got on the end of a multi pass United move to test Ederson from the edge of the box. Offside later on as he tried to get United on the scoresheet. Booked at the end of a frustrating day for him.
Jadon Sancho (on for Eric Bailly, 46): 5. Difficult to get into the game with a United side who looked tired.
Marcus Rashford (on for Mason Greenwood, 67): 5. Little impression on the game, possibly not fit.
Alex Telles (on for Luke Shaw – concussion substitution, 74): 5. Couldn’t raise United’s level and lucky to escape a penalty against him after he got a touch on the ball before taking down Gabriel Jesus.
Van de Beek (on for Fred, 80): No time to mark, cheered when he came on by the home fans.
Manchester City Player Ratings – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Ederson: 7. Not much to do until a great save from Ronaldo.
Kyle Walker: 7. Great cross for Ilkay Gundogan which deserved to be converted but balls in from wide and occasional run upfield worried United. Good movement and linked things up too.
Ruben Dias: 7. Relatively untroubled.
John Stones: 7. In cruise control throughout and had a chance to finish off United with a late turn and shot which went wide and also got the ball away from Ronaldo in added time to preserve a clean sheet for City.
Joao Cancelo: 8. Some creative moves and runs, did defensive work well too. Forced Eric Bailly’s own goal and grabbed another assist just before half time and continued to worry United in the second half.
Bernardo Silva: 8. Ferocious midfield running and grabbed a second for City after getting on the end of Joao Cancelo’s deep cross to the back post.
Ilkay Gundogan: 7. Metronomic passing. Hit the side netting in the second half after his first touch let him down.
Rodri: 7. He might have noticed Mason Greenwood trying to mark him while he was quarterbacking City.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7. Playing his way back into form, some great long passes from deep. Had a shot blocked by Luke Shaw and laid on a great late chance for Phil Foden.
Gabriel Jesus: 7. Did his fair share of tracking back, had a shot saved and could have earned a penalty late on.
Phil Foden: 7. Started wide left and ran Aaron Wan-Bissaka ragged. Missed a great chance to end the game after 81 minutes the he shot shaved the post.
GOALS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Man Utd 0, Man City 1: 7. Eric Bailly panicked and turned Joao Cancelo’s inviting left wing cross into his own net past David De Gea from close range
Man Utd 0, Man City 2: 45. Bernardo Silva bust a lung to get on the end of a Joao Cancelo cross to the back post that United defenders thought was going out. Luke Shaw didn’t see the danger and David De Gea fumbled the ball into the back of his net
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 0, Manchester City 2
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Bailly (Sancho 46), Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw (Telles 73, concussion), Fernandes, McTominay, Fred (van de Beek 80), Greenwood (Rashford 67), Ronaldo.
Man Utd Subs not used: Henderson, Martial, Lingard, Dalot, Matic
Booked: Cristiano Ronaldo 90 (foul on Kevin De Bruyne)
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Cancelo, Silva, Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne, Jesus, Foden
Man City subs not used: Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Grealish Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Palmer
Booked: Joao Cancelo 48 (foul on Mason Greenwood), Bernardo Silva 58 (foul on Cristiano Ronaldo)
Goals: Bailly og 7; Bernardo Silva 45
Referee: Michael Oliver