Match report
Here’s Jamie Jackson’s verdict. Thanks for joining me. It was a game. Enjoy the rest of your Sundays.
And here’s Pep Guardiola: “We have control, we’re not in the right spots to hurt them. United are an incredible transitional team, so we take a point.” What more could they done? “The players know it, you should know it. It’s what we’ve been doing for nine years.”
He denies Marmoush wasn’t playing as a striker – “he moved around because it was so congested in the middle” – but accepts City did not “punish” United when they had chances. “The back four was excellent, our process was not there, we lost the ball in key positions.”
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More from Amorim on a dour derby: “If teams are fighting for big things, for the title – where you can’t drop even two points at home – that completely changes the game. That feeling is not here, and it’s hard for me as the coach to say that. You don’t feel it today because both teams have a lot of doubts.”
Ruben Amorim: “We had some chances to win the game … we tried to use pace in transitions, we had some moments with the ball, we pushed City. We were near the goal, but if you look at the game, we have to accept the draw. They had more possession, that is normal.”
“We still need to improve everywhere, in every aspect – buildup, transitions, decisions in the final third. The players are here because they showed something at other clubs, they can do more. I can see the connections are a little better, players are more comfortable in their position, we are calmer with the ball. But a lot to improve.”
Here’s a very minor positive for City – after getting a point here, they’re 21 points behind Liverpool with 21 to play for. City would also need a 25-goal swing, but at least mathematically, their title defence hasn’t ended today. Grab the champagne!
There is a sit-in protest against the United ownership ongoing in the Stretford End – it was pre-planned, but credit is still due to any fans prepared to stay in their seats any longer after watching that game.
Here’s the player of the match, Bruno Fernandes: “Happy with the performance, not the result, we want to win games. I think we were a little bit more dangerous, we just needed the killer instinct. City want to have the ball, and you have to be patient. We did that well and we were very well organised. The manager tells us, if we’re not suffering we’re not doing enough.”
“My responsibility is doing everything for the team. I know I’ll get more attention than some others, being the captain. The effort is always there from me, that has to be what I show to others. If we want to be a big club again, we need to do what we did every game, and score goals. If we think this is enough, we go back again.”
“I think the Key Events bar at the top of the page sums up the game succinctly,” notes Graham Moger.
“They could be playing till tomorrow morning and still no one would have scored,” says Karen Asad. “You know what would be better? Playing this dross under United’s proposed giant stadium blanket.”
Full time: Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City
The Manchester derby ends in a goalless draw that was a struggle for all concerned. United had the greater impetus and carved out the better chances, but sorely lacked a killer edge. City struggled to create anything but at least held on for a point in what was a deeply underwhelming contest.
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93 mins: Dorgu gets forward again but his cross is headed clear, and while United retain the ball, they’ve run out of time.
91 mins: Doku tries to find Grealish but the move breaks down and Zirkzee leads a charge upfield which is eventually dealt with by the City defence. Marmoush then does a decent job of holding the ball up to run a few seconds off the clock.
90 mins: There will be four added minutes. PGMOL, you spoil us!
89 mins: Nunes gets tangled up with Dorgu, with the United man going down after an awkward fall.
“Throw Cantona on,” pleads Justin Kavanagh. “It’d give us something to remember at least.”
88 mins: Fernandes whips in another dangerous deep ball which Gvardiol has to head behind awkwardly. United looking the more likely to break through late on … but the corner is cleared to Dorgu, whose snap-shot is sliced well wide.
87 mins: Mount gallops into space and finds Zirkzee, who takes a fraction too long to line up his shot on the turn, and sees it blocked.
86 mins: Casemiro nicks the ball off Grealish and looks for Garnacho down the right. Only Bernardo Silva’s covering run prevents a dangerous opening for United.
85 mins: Dorgu, one of the better performers out there, sweeps in a cross which is headed clear. Lewis is fouled, and City can regroup.
83 mins: Marmoush does attack with purpose, and is hauled down by Yoro, who is booked. The City free-kick leads, unsurprisingly, to a United break, but Garnacho doesn’t have any support down the left.
82 mins: This second half has felt like watching United’s youth team – lots of energy and effort, little end product – against a City “legends” side who quite fancy hearing the final whistle.
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81 mins: A long ball over the top tests Mazraoui’s hamstrings, with Doku in hot pursuit. “This could be a one-moment game,” roars Peter Drury. Well, that would be nice.
80 mins: There was a deflection so United have a corner – and from it, Casemiro goes down theatrically under Kovacic’s challenge. Big shouts for a penalty, but that doesn’t make it so. Casemiro really made a meal out of nothing.
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78 mins: The corner is cleared out to Mazraoui, who sends a first-time volley a mile wide. City stroll upfield but again give the ball away cheaply, and Fernandes sets Garnacho away in pinpoint fashion. Garnacho cuts inside – but pulls his shot well wide of the post.
77 mins: Big save! From Dorgu’s cut-back, Zirkzee gets the jump on Dias and steers a first-time shot on target – but Ederson reacts to paw it away! Mount is under the rebound, but Lewis blocks his volley.
76 mins: The camera picks out Eric Cantona in the crowd, who looks visibly pained at what he’s been forced to endure.
75 mins: Mount goes into the book for bustling into Bernardo Silva, preventing a City counter that was already lacking direction.
74 mins: Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis come on, replacing O’Reilly and Gundogan. Lewis will slot in at left-back, so it’s a bit of an attacking change from Guardiola.
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“Is this the worst Premier League of all time, or the most competitive?” asks Gavin White. “Seems only competitive by the poor quality of the teams.” Can’t imagine what inspired your email, Gavin.
72 mins: Fernandes pops up on the left and finds Garnacho, whose cross is snaffled by Ederson at the near post. City are readying two more changes.
71 mins: Changes for United, with Ugarte replaced by Mount seconds after almost scoring. Zirkzee replaces Hojlund, who has, if we’re being generous, at least tried.
70 mins: Ooooof! Fernandes’ cross from deep is towards Hojlund, but Gvardiol clears only as far as Ugarte, whose effort from 25 yards out flies just wide. Ederson was on his heels there.
68 mins: The ball is muddled out for a corner. De Bruyne will whip it in … it’s half cleared, and from 30 yards, Marmoush absolutely belts it, forcing Onana to react quickly and beat his shot away. It falls to O’Reilly, but he’s offside. What a hit, though.
66 mins: Doku does well to hold up the ball on halfway and draw a foul. He repeats the trick a few moments later, forcing Dalot to pull him back and get a booking for his trouble.
Thanks Paul Peppiate, first to inform me that the song adapted for the Ruben Amorim chant is “It’s a Heartache” by Bonnie Tyler. “Catchy innit?” says Paul. Yes, infuriatingly so.
64 mins: No, it’s Marmoush who takes it. Has he no respect for narrative? It’s a fine effort, dipping over the wall and forcing Onana to spring to his left and parry away.
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62 mins: Marmoush does a number on Lindelof, backing in and then rolling left and going down. City free kick, a little over 25 yards out. De Bruyne will surely fancy a crack …
61 mins: O’Reilly gives it away – City just can’t seem to keep the ball at the minute – and Garnacho finds the dangerous Dorgu. His low cross hits the sliding Dias, and there’s big appeals for handball – but replays show that the ball hit Dias in his, er, midriff.
60 mins: De Bruyne looks for Gundogan, who traps it with his shin, and United half clear only to get the ball back again.
58 mins: Bruno Fernandes links up with Dalot and whips in a cross to the far post, where Nunes has to head clear with Dorgu waiting. The corner is cleared.
57 mins: City change, and it’s Phil Foden coming off – he’s had far better derby days, and didn’t look quite right after that early injury. He’s replaced by Jeremy Doku. For United, Maguire – who’s done well – completes his expected hour, and is replaced by Victor Lindelof.
56 mins: City win a free kick as Ugarte fouls Silva, and the Uruguayan then fronts up to Ruben Dias for an exchange of views. De Bruyne’s cross finds the head of O’Reilly, whose header back across goal finds nobody. Eventually, Marmoush shoots low from an impossible angle, and Onana smothers the ball.
55 mins: United fans respond to that flurry of attacking intent with the “Ruben Amorim” chant. What tune is it based on? It’s bugging me.
54 mins: More energy to this whole affair now, with Ugarte’s shot blocked and Ederson tested by a near-post cross, before Garnacho’s deflected shot loops into his grateful grasp.
53 mins: City get the chance to break, Nunes charging ahead of De Bruyne – but the Belgian opts for a shot that is straight at Onana.
51 mins: Shaky moments in the City backline as Gundogan and O’Reilly give it away in quick succession. United work it across the pitch to Dorgu, whose cross finds Casemiro – but Hojlund is penalised for a shove. Another tough afternoon for him so far.
49 mins: Nunes with a lovely pass down the right, where De Bruyne has peeled away from his marker. He crosses towards Marmoush, but Onana is there to collect it from behind the big Haaland-shaped hole at the near post.
48 mins: An opening for City as O’Reilly finds Marmoush, who bisects the United defence with a simple pass. Foden is on to it, but takes too long to line up the shot, and Mazraoui is able to get the challenge in.
47 mins: Fernandes gets on the ball down the right but slips under pressure from O’Reilly and sends his cross into Ederson’s arms.
46 mins: Silva goes straight in the book for leaving a comically outstretched leg to bring down Garnacho in midfield.
Peep! Second half
Here we go again …
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City had 62% possession in their first half, but won just 28% of duels in the first half, the lowest for any Premier League side this season.
“I imagine the Club World Cup, bar a few Brazilian sides, will quickly become like another Champions League in the last 16 or so. And even then, I don’t expect the matches to really wow, with tired legs and all. Really don’t understand the point of the whole thing” writes Gianni Kieran McKintosh.
Yes, it’s just more football – and as to why that’s a bad thing, I present the first half as Exhibit A.
That was pedestrian at best, but United definitely created the better openings and seem to have a setup that can win this game. City have bossed possession but have been stodgy – Guardiola really needs to add some pace and width in the second half.
Half time: Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City
So, who’s looking forward to the Club World Cup?
45 mins: Two more minutes.
44 mins: A couple of tasty tackles late in the half – Silva on Fernandes, and Mazraoui on Marmoush – in a desperate attempt to raise the temperature, like throwing a roast chicken back in the oven.
43 mins: At the other end De Bruyne has the ball in space but is far too isolated as the red shirts converge. City win it back and O’Reilly’s header almost finds Marmoush, who is again well marshalled by Mazraoui.
42 mins: Casemiro, who’s had a decent game so far, almost cushions a cross into Ugarte’s path.
41 mins: Foden is tackled by Garnacho, but John Brooks – who’s had a pleasingly quiet day so far – waves play on. Garnacho then coughs the ball up to Gundogan, but United’s defence responds quickly to snuff out the danger.
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40 mins: Another United half chance as Casemiro, shielded by Fernandes, connects with Dalot’s cut-back but sends it straight at Ederson. Either side of him, and the unsighted keeper might have had a problem.
39 mins: This is maybe the closest City have come, achieved through Kovacic’s direct run forward and sideways pass to Gundogan, whose low shot from distance flies a couple of feet wide of Onana’s far post.
37 mins: An aimless long ball, this time from a United boot, bobbles out for a goal kick. Such a nice day for football, too. A shame.
36 mins: Every red shirt behind the ball at the moment as O’Reilly tries to link up with De Bruyne, who is crowded out.
35 mins: Yoro’s mishit clearance lands to O’Reilly, who is seeing plenty of the ball – but City slow things down again, before Kovacic scoops an ambitious long pass to De Bruyne, which Onana plucks out of the air.
33 mins: Both sets of fans are still making plenty of noise, even if the game has been second-gear so far. Another spell of slowish City possession ends with a hopeful long ball that runs through to Onana.
31 mins: City win a corner which Onana tries to punch clear and misses completely – Mazraoui has to be alert to flick the ball away from danger at the far post.
30 mins: City’s setup isn’t really working so far; the lack of width isn’t keeping Fernandes off the ball and the Gundogan-Kovacic axis is struggling to break up United’s counters. From another one, Dorgu runs just offside.
28 mins: United enjoying their best spell now, Ugarte winning the ball in midfield and finding Garnacho, who underhits a pass to Fernandes. He scoops the ball over the City defence, but a stretching Ugarte can’t apply the finish.
26 mins: Bruno Fernandes weaves a bit of magic in midfield, linking with Hojlund and then releasing Garnacho. The United captain then plays in Dorgu down the left, but he fires a hopeful shot over the bar from a narrow angle.
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25 mins: So far, United have looked shaky playing out from the back but City haven’t carved them open, and the best chances have fallen to the hosts on quick breaks upfield.
23 mins: Garnacho’s pace is causing City problems – he bursts down the right this time and his long-distance cut back falls to Dorgu. He should hit it first time but tries to control it – and his first touch is “thick”, according to Peter Drury, which I quite like.
22 mins: Leny Yoro is hurt but United have given the ball away, so he needs to get back up pronto. De Bruyne tries to slot a pass in to Foden on the right, but it’s overhit and Maguire can get across to clear.
19 mins: Big chance for United! After Fernandes kick-starts the move, Dalot holds it up on the right and whips in a dangerous delivery. Ugarte can’t get his head to it but it falls to Garnacho, who slips with the goal at his mercy! Ugarte may have unsighted him, but still.
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18 mins: Patrick Dorgu – another decent January signing, for me – is kept from crossing the ball by Matheus Nunes, who earns a goal kick.
17 mins: De Bruyne collects Silva’s pass, spins and hits an optimistic effort from the corner of the penalty area. It’s on target, but Onana is right behind it.
16 mins: De Bruyne’s corner is low and angled in to the near post, where there’s a muted handball appeal before United clear it away.
15 mins: A first opening for Marmoush, picked out smartly by O’Reilly on the run. He takes a touch and shapes to shoot, but Maguire does well to get across and deflect it behind.
14 mins: Casemiro loops the ball forward to Højlund, who is isolated up front and eventually muscled off the ball.
12 mins: Foden looks likely to continue, but Jeremy Doku and Savinho have been sent to warm up, just in case. Jack Grealish, on the other hand, is staying in his seat.
11 mins: A few misplaced passes creeping in to United’s game early on. Maguire presents the ball to Foden, who is tackled by Casemiro. The City man stays down and needs a minute with the physio.
9 mins: Foden cuts inside, shakes off Dorgu and shoots low into the near side-netting from 20 yards out. Onana looked to have it covered.
“I am not a City fan by any stretch, but the acquisition of Marmoush in the January window might be the best move of any team in the league,” writes Joe Pearson. “He really looks like a player. And when paired with Haaland, whoa!” It’s a frightening prospect.
8 mins: Ugarte’s control lets him down and City counter, but Foden’s slipped ball to De Bruyne on the right is delayed a fraction, and the Belgian has drifted offside.
6 mins: Marmoush finds De Bruyne in a pocket of space, but his sideways pass is behind O’Reilly. The imposing left-back eventually wins a free kick as Dalot hauls him down.
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5 mins: We’ll probably see a bit of rotation in City’s front four today – Foden has started alongside Marmoush up front, with De Bruyne in behind and Bernardo in a deeper role.
4 mins: City enjoy their first spell of possession, with United pressing gamely all over midfield.
2 mins: Fernandes looks for a gap in the City wall as Casemiro moves aside – but it ricochets off a blue shirt for a corner. O’Reilly gets his head to it, and City escape that major early scare!
1 min: Garnacho gets into space, charges towards goal and is brought down by Ruben Dias – United appeal for a penalty, but it’s just outside the box. Dias is booked, and Fernandes will take the free kick …
Peep!
We’re under way, and United are straight on the attack …
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Predictions? I can envisage a 1-1 draw that does no team any favours, but also limits the emotional damage. We’ll find out very soon.
Fun fact: at least one Manchester club has finished in the top three in every Premier League season but one – 2015-16, when Leicester, Arsenal and Tottenham were on the podium. City have work to do to keep that record alive this season.
Here’s Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne: “Of course there’s emotion, one decade here, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be focused on what he needs to do.” On Omar Marmoush: “He has done well, his numbers, movement off the ball and getting in behind.” And on Nico O’Reilly: “Nico is young, he has to improve but he has great physicality and is strong at set pieces.”
And Ruben Amorim on Rasmus Højlund: “He’s more explosive [than Zirkzee] and can use his pace to trap the opposition.” On Luke Shaw: “He can play a few minutes, we’re happy to have him back because he’s an experienced player.”
Today also marks Kevin De Bruyne’s last Manchester derby. Could he be City’s greatest ever player? He’s certainly in the conversation, as they say.
Southampton are relegated: It’s been in the post for many months now, but Southampton’s 3-1 defeat at Spurs means they are officially heading back to the Championship. Their only remaining goal is to grab a couple more points and avoid Derby’s unwanted record.
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It’s finished Fulham 3-2 Liverpool – the league leaders’ first away defeat all season. They’re still 11 points clear, mind you. It’s also finished Brentford 0-0 Chelsea, a decent result for City as they chase a top-five place.
For United, neither Matthijs de Ligt nor Kobbie Mainoo are fit enough to feature in Ruben Amorim’s squad. Harry Maguire comes in to the back three, while the only other change from the XI that lost at Nottingham Forest is up front – Rasmus Højlund replacing Joshua Zirkzee.
City saw off Leicester in midweek with a shuffled side but revert back to the setup that delivered in the second-half at Bournemouth in the FA Cup, with Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne among those returning. Jack Grealish is back on the bench, but youngster Nico O’Reilly continues at left-back.
Team news
Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Mazraoui; Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Højlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Lindelöf, Mount, Zirkzee, Eriksen, Shaw, Amass, Obi, Kukonki.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gündogan, Kovacic; Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Marmoush.
Subs: Ortega, Grealish, Doku, Nico González, Vitor Reis, Savio, Khusanov,
Lewis, McAtee.
In Sunday’s 2pm games, the champions-elect are having a shocker at Craven Cottage. Elsewhere, it’s Brentford 0-0 Chelsea and Tottenham 2-0 Southampton – unless the Saints can summon a comeback, they’ll be officially relegated.
Pre-game reading
Preamble
Welcome to a derby day to dread, coming at the tail end of seasons for both sides that have been disappointing at best, existential crises at their worst. Of the many psyche-shattering defeats that Manchester City suffered as their imperial armour dramatically fell away, the derby loss in December ranked among the most brutal, as they nursed a fragile lead before imploding to concede twice at the death.
If that felt like a gift to a generationally bad United team, it was one they three away, going on to lose their next three league games as Ruben Amorim talked openly of a relegation battle. Both teams have, relatively speaking, improved since the depths of midwinter but their fragile rebuilding efforts risk being reset today.
The FA Cup aside, City’s remaining target is to steer themselves to a top-five finish; their title defence has long been over, but defeat here would officially end their reign. Uncertainty lies ahead with Pep Guardiola’s stamina waning, a squad in mid-overhaul and Premier League charges still hanging in the air. Still, their cross-town might happily trade places.
Manchester United are currently 14th in the table; they’ve won a third of their league games so far, and are yet to win two consecutively this season. These are statistics which would have seemed impossible even as the sun set on the Alex Ferguson era, yet they barely begin to tell the story. With more protests expected today and fear of irreversible decline, the actual football feels secondary.
Old Trafford is a deeply broken place these days, but it’s still the ground where City fans most want to see their team win. Victory for either side today may be a plaster over festering wounds, but it’s still a win on derby day. Kick-off: 4.30pm BST.
