The 187th Manchester Derby took place at the Etihad Stadium as we saw the reigning champions extend their six-point advantage at the top of the league. While Manchester United failed to instill pride into the red side of town. United’s emphatic 4-1 loss to their fiercest rival shows just how far away the club is from returning back to an elite European side.
The level of commitment, intelligence and ruthlessness displayed by City is something this United side could only dream of. Here are five things we learnt watching yet another embarrassing defeat.
defensive frailities
United’s defensive weaknesses were exploited once again. For the first time since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, the team has conceded more than 2 goals. The individual and collective defensive errors proved costly with the first-choice defensive pairing under immense scrutiny.
The most defining moment in the game that truly turned the tide was City’s second goal. De Bruyne swiftly put an end to any hopes of a United comeback just six minutes after Jadon Sancho’s equaliser. Each and every defender was responsible as the ball bounced around the penalty box with no one managing to clear it. From there, it was complete and utter domination by Pep Guardiola’s men.
Harry Maguire struggled more than anybody in the defensive line that was so open and frail for the full duration of the game. Riyad Mahrez’s shot to secure the third goal brushed in off Maguire who was too slow to react. His centre-back partner Victor Lindelof, who arguably has been one of the most consistent players for the club, also had a poor showing. In the first half, he failed to win any of his ground duels, was constantly dribbled past and lost the ball more times than Maguire.
The overload on United’s right flank to target Aaron Wan-Bissaka led to the opener from Bernardo Silva who linked up with Jack Grealish before making a superb cross for de Bruyne to score in the opening five minutes.
Raphael Varane’s absence proved to be the biggest blow for Rangnick as his pace, composure and experience to stabilise a defence and fuel an attack with his ball-playing ability were all sorely missed.
‘SPIRITLESS’ SECOND HALF
Although City were clearly the better side in the first half, United looked competitive as they were pressing high and defended as a unit anytime they were forced on the back foot. United were asking questions of the opposition’s defence but only managed five attempts on goal as the home side dominated possession with 60%.
The drop-off in the second half was staggering — a drop-off we’re so accustomed to seeing. United were comprehensively outclassed, outworked and outwitted by Guardiola’s side. City were able to seal the game off with ease — reminiscent of their last visit to Old Trafford.
Speaking to Sky Sports, club legend Gary Neville described United in the final 45 minutes of the game as ‘spiritless.’
He said: “They were walking around the pitch for that last 25 minutes. Manchester City had 92% possession for a 15-minute period when the goal went in.
“That is unheard of, unprecedented and unforgiving.”
The two goals from Mahrez that followed made the result even more decisive as United failed to make a single shot. Watching City continuously dominate play, recycle possession, produce accurate long passes and take up advantageous positions was demoralising to watch.
RANGNICK CHANGES IT UP
The tactical changes Rangnick implemented for his first Manchester derby weren’t enough to secure any points as Pep managed to adapt accordingly. The absence of a lethal striker upfront didn’t help his cause either as he opted for Bruno Fernandes to start in a ‘false nine’ role with Paul Pogba just behind him in a 4-2-2-2 formation. United won the ball back in their final third way more times than anyone expected they would. However, this setup was unsustainable as playing a high line left plenty of space between the midfield and attack.
Before the game began, many believed United’s best chance to score would be on the counterattack which has been the only dent in City’s armour of late. However, Rangnick didn’t have a world-class striker in Cristiano Ronaldo or Edinson Cavani to drop into space or draw defenders out of position. Ederson was barely tested throughout the game, while David De Gea was kept busy once again.
REBUILD NEEDED
United are in dire need of a rebuild. A rebuild that will see new players who lay everything on the line and give their all for the badge. A fighting spirit, an unrivalled work ethic and a ruthless attitude to succeed are what a United player should and must possess. Replacing everyone may not be a feasible strategy. But integrating players who have those attributes, coupled with the technical ability to perform in the most competitive league is what is needed to restore some life into this club again.
Regardless of recent form, the bare minimum that is expected from any player who puts on a red shirt is to show grit, aggression and a tenacity to win the ball. Instead, the players were sitting back, admiring City’s passing authority and work rate right until the final whistle. Whoever is next in line to take over Old Trafford in an attempt to bring back the club’s former glory will need a large-scale rebuilding process to take place.
Sancho scores
Despite the dreadful team performance, we can’t overlook Sancho’s stunning goal that silenced the doubters, City supporters and most of all — his former coach. It was his first time back at the Etihad, but this time representing the red side of Manchester. Since leaving City’s youth academy in 2017, Sancho has gone on to cement his status as one of the most productive and creative young talents in Europe.
Sancho has truly come into his own in the latter stages of the season as he continues to rack up his goal involvements. The 21-year-old has been the only shining light in what has been one of the most turbulent seasons in the club’s history. It was a brilliantly worked goal after receiving a fine pass from Pogba and was helped by Ferenades who drew Kyle Walker away to enable Sancho to cut inside and curl it past Ederson.
While the goal counted for nothing in the end, it is satisfying to see Sancho’s steady improvement and witness his rise to future stardom.
