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Bruno Fernandes celebrates his opening goal
Photo:
Laurence Griffiths / AP
Early start of the game:
The derby in Manchester hadn't been running for a minute when two strikers met in the same penalty area.
City attacker Gabriel Jesus kicked United's Anthony Martial in the heels.
The Frenchman went down and referee Anthony Taylor ruled on a penalty.
Bruno Fernandes was served the chance to lead on a silver platter.
And the Portuguese, who has achieved so much this season, shot too hard and placed for Ederson, who only brought his fingertips to the ball.
When the game really started, United was already leading 1-0.
The result:
In the end, United won 2-0 (1-0) at their local rivals and pushed their way back to Leicester City in the table.
The Foxes had conquered second place for one night on Saturday, now the two clubs from Manchester greet again from the top ranks.
The first half:
City allowed itself five minutes of nervousness.
Shortly after the 0: 1, João Cancelo went dribbling in his own penalty area, Luke Shaw stole the ball, but failed to Ederson (4th).
After that, the game belonged to Pep Guardiola's team, at least until shortly before the United penalty area.
The journey only rarely went into this, Oleksandr Zinchenko (24th) shot from long range and Kevin de Bruyne with a free kick from 25 meters (43rd) had the best opportunities among many half-chances.
Déjà-vu:
The traditional Big Six in the Premier League include clubs from Manchester, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur.
United played seven times this season against one of these big clubs, only one goal of their own: Bruno Fernandes met in the 1: 6 debacle against Tottenham in October.
In the second minute.
By penalty.
After Martial was fouled.
Second early start of the game:
Even after the break, it was less than five minutes before the United players hugged each other.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson threw the ball far to the left, Luke Shaw ran at speed towards the City defense, played the one-two with Marcus Rashford and scored through three opponents to make it 2-0.
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In there: United's left-back Luke Shaw hits the city goal
Photo: Darren Staples / imago images / Sportimage
Stand Up: Perhaps the
most notable fact about Shaw is that United's left-back is still only 25 years old.
Shaw had already made his breakthrough in the Premier League in 2012, followed by the move from Southampton FC to United in 2014.
A lot of bad luck with injuries made the child prodigy a problem case.
In the meantime, Shaw is permanently fit - and in the shape of his life: He held the left defense tight against City, and always bravely went forward with the ball at his foot.
His second career goal in the Premier League was allowed to pass as an appropriate reward.
The rest of the second half:
Before the second goal, City was closer to equalizing for a brief moment than ever before: Jesus had played for Rodri, the Spaniard shot the ball from 16 meters to the crossbar.
After that, the Himmelblauen showed themselves to be dominant as usual, only their too small shoe sizes were their undoing: Again and again, the city offensive was missing a few centimeters to reach the numerous crosses into the United penalty area.
A sprint with consequences: The
fact that United did not allow much had nothing to do with the strong back four.
The attackers also did a lot for the defense.
Exemplary was the 70th minute when left winger Rashford chased a lost ball over half the court and recaptured it.
A heroic mission that ultimately hurt: Following the action, Rashford hobbled off and had to be replaced.
A marathon without tension:
The first loses in the city derby against the (new) second.
That could make a championship race a lot more exciting if City weren't still eleven points ahead with ten game days to go.
Bruno Fernandes still did not want to give up hope:
"
The season is not a sprint, but a marathon,
"
said the Portuguese after the final whistle.
But in order to win this marathon, United would need seven-mile boots.
Fear opponents:
After 28 competitive games without a defeat, the invincibility of Manchester City was over - and then, of all things, against their city rivals.
The last time the Citizens lost was in November.
In addition, Pep Guardiola now has more defeats (four) than wins (three) against United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
If not the championship match, at least the Manchester derby is now taking place at eye level.
Icon: The mirror
