Manchester: Premier League leaders Manchester City moved 11 points clear at the top after a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in their derby clash, Sunday.
The victory means City are the first team to win 14 consecutive English top-flight games in the same season. The result ended United’s run of 40 home games unbeaten in all competitions.
City’s lead over second-placed United means the title is now theirs to lose and, while Pep Guardiola’s side did not provide a classic display of their manager’s attractive passing football, they showed they have the grit as well as the class to come through the toughest challenges.
Jose Mourinho’s team selection suggested United’s manager was intent on playing expansively, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford chosen as wide support to central striker Romelu Lukaku.
Gabriel Jesus, playing as the lone central striker with Sergio Aguero on the bench, had an early opening but shot tamely straight at Man United keeper David De Gea, as did Raheem Sterling when he wriggled some space.
City’s dominance was rewarded in the 43rd minute due to sloppy defending from the Red Devils at a set-piece. Lukaku failed to clear Kevin De Bruyne’s in-swinging corner and the ball fell to David Silva, who was played onside by Ashley Young. The Spaniard gratefully hooked the ball home.
Poor defending at the other end also allowed Man U get level before the break. Marcos Rojo hit a hopeful diagonal cross into the City box but Nicolas Otamendi misjudged a header, Fabian Delph hesitated and Marcus Rashford pounced on the loose ball and drove low past Ederson.
City however, restored their lead nine minutes into the second half after another piece of poor defending. Silva whipped a free-kick into the box and Lukaku, who had a derby to forget, drove an attempted clearance into the back of teammate Chris Smalling. The ball looped to Otamendi who, making amends for his earlier mistake, showed great athleticism to volley home on the half-turn.
“People said we couldn’t play the way we did in Barcelona in England but it is possible and we did it,” Guardiola, the former Barca boss, said after the victory.
Guardiola rarely puts down his opponents but after a series of jibes from his counterpart Mourinho, before and after the game, he dropped his usual diplomacy. “We won because we were better. We were better in all departments,” Guardiola asserted.
And he was right.
Tunnel brawl
Manchester: Players and the support staff of both Manchester City and Manchester United were involved in a tunnel brawl after the game Sunday. United coach Jose Mourinho objected to City’s celebrations which he deemed ‘disrespectful and over-zealous. He objected to loud music blaring from the City dressing room. He yelled at Brazilian Ederson who played under the City bar and their confrontation soon escalated into a huge confrontation with support staff and players of both sides joining in. In the process, City coach suffered a cut over his left eye from a bottle thrown at him by Romelu Lukaku. The Man United manager Mourinho, was also not spared either. He had milk doused on him and was hit by a plastic bottle. English FA said that they will look into CCTV footage before commenting on the matter.
Reuters
