Man City 3-1 Man Utd: Class Outlasts Courage on Derby Day!

Published by CM22ENT on 3 March 20243 March 2024

Derby days post Fergie for Manchester United are built around fearful thoughts and competitive flaws. Manchester City usually hit top form come the business end of the season. Seven games unbeaten in the League may suggest that, but there have been chinks in the golden coated armour of last seasons treble winners.

To take full advantage of that however, United needed to adapt to their scenery quickly, and they did just that.

Almost 10 minutes in, Erik ten Hag’s side struck gold with a Marcus Rashford thunderbolt. Ederson’s crossbar almost shattered from the velocity of a ball ricocheting off woodwork, while the sheer shock inside the Etihad barely posed a threat to any glass around the vicinity. Unless you were situated in an away section flooded in red.

Chances would follow for either side given the frantic, end to end nature which embodied the combative characteristic of what many rivalries should represent. While Rashford’s failure to control the ball on two separate occasions may have halted an army’s march on towards their first win at the Etihad since March of 2021, Andre Onana also denied crucial opportunities on the other end, notably saving one from Phil Foden who had four goals in his last three derby fixtures.

Pep’s misfiring blue moon would dominate possession as expected in the latter stages of this first period with no reward. Haaland’s point blank malfunction maintained a clean sheet for Andre Onana, with the charismatic Josep Guardiola showcasing his utter disgust prior to Andy Madley blowing for half time. With the rigour of his tunnel walk, it would’ve been a shock to see Manchester City reemerge with the same level of wastefulness in opposition territory.

Manchester United showcased a level of confidence on ball sporadically during this game that are rare sightings in comparison to their counterparts. Fine lines always exist in these scenarios however, providing warnings to remain stimulated in case of a devastating transitional trucking.

In true NFL fashion, it was indeed Phil Foden who answered the call and levelled in spectacular style. Victor Lindelof had done a decent job containing his magical left foot, until this moment. Now the question shifted to how each team would respond in the art of war, with the next goal being crucial.

And crucial it was. Julián Álvarez’s movement, mixed with Foden’s explosiveness this time around, discombobulated United’s defence to complete the comeback with less than a dozen minutes remaining. On the other hand, with multiple changes down the drain, and no sense of direction, Erik ten Hag had possibly run out of answers against his former colleague.

Sadly, it was the inevitable Erling Haaland who provided the final testament after calamitous mistakes playing out from Andre Onana. Perhaps a cruel ending to what was a semi-ambitious attempt to compete against one of the world’s best at this current time. Then again, statistics won’t be kind at all when looking back in the history book.

Manchester United can only look forward and proceed to resurrect their top four charge against relegation battling Everton next Saturday in the early kick off.

How did you assess the game and each team’s performance? Have your say in the comment section, and feel free to follow my accounts on X, TikTok, and YouTube where I’ll be providing extra Man Utd content and updates. Contact CM via email or social media platforms by clicking here.