Reuters
Manchester, Sept 10: Pep Guardiola drew first blood in his renewed managerial duel with Jose Mourinho as Manchester City deservedly won an absorbing Premier League derby 2-1 against Manchester United at Old Trafford here Saturday.
Kevin de Bruyne, who was never appreciated by Mourinho when they were at Chelsea together, proved instrumental in City’s magnificent win, scoring the opener and making the second for Kelechi Iheanacho before half time.
With his side being outpassed and outclassed in a one-sided first half, Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought United back into the match just before the break after a mistake by City’s new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
Bravo’s error on a hugely unconvincing debut inspired a much more even second half and Ibrahimovic had goal ruled out for offside before man of the match De Bruyne hit the post as City maintained their 100 per cent record this season to move three points clear at the top of the table.
For much of the first half, City’s slick passing and neat movement brought back memories of the way Guardiola’s old Barcelona side would once often pass rings round Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
Yet the initial breakthrough came from an unGuardiola-like route in the 15th minute, Aleksandar Kolarov’s hoofed ball being met by a flicked header from Iheanacho which allowed the excellent De Bruyne to nip in past a leaden-footed Daley Blind and fire home.
Iheanacho, ensuring that suspended Sergio Aguero was not unduly missed up front, underlined City’s dominance, tapping home after De Bruyne’s 36th-minute left-footed strike had come back off the post.
United were offered a lifeline when Bravo, whose signing to replace City favourite Joe Hart has been the most controversial move of Guardiola’s brief reign, failed to claim a straightforward free-kick from the right flank. He dropped the ball under no great pressure, allowing the alert Ibrahimovic to volley home from the edge of the box and quite transform the game’s dynamic.
