Season recap: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 2
Arguably the most satisfying win of 2019/20 so far arrived on 7 December, in the Manchester derby, no less, when United built on an impressive showing against Jose Mourinho's Spurs days before by defeating reigning champions City.
MATCH REPORT
Like our visit to Anfield each season, the short trip across town to the Etihad Stadium usually makes for nervy viewing. But this time, all watching Reds were in for a treat, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men blasted out of the traps to make the expectant home crowd squirm.
Like our visit to Anfield each season, the short trip across town to the Etihad Stadium usually makes for nervy viewing. But this time, all watching Reds were in for a treat, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men blasted out of the traps to make the expectant home crowd squirm.
United were sensational for 30 minutes in east Manchester, slicing through City's midfield with precision, pace and power. Deservedly, the visitors were rewarded with a two-goal lead at half-time – the first delivered from the spot by Marcus Rashford and the second swept home by Anthony Martial, after one of many excellent counterattacks. It could and probably should have been more than 2-0, though City felt aggrieved when VAR ignored two claims for handball inside the United area.
Highlights: Man City 1 United 2 Video
Highlights: Man City 1 United 2
We won on our last league visit to the Etihad Stadium, in December 2019...
In the second period, Pep Guardiola's side responded, but struggled to break down a resilient and determined United defence. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was arguably the outstanding performer, denying Raheem Sterling any joy down City's left flank, but there were also a vital intervention from David De Gea to deny Riyadh Mahrez, and a stunning last-ditch block from Victor Lindelof to divert a Kevin De Bruyne shot. Nicolas Otamendi would notch a late consolation for the hosts, but it was United celebrating joyously come full-time.
KEY QUOTES
Scott McTominay: "Going into the game we knew exactly how we wanted to play and that first 30 minutes epitomised everything we spoke about in the meetings in the build-up to the game. It’s just nice to have one pay off. It was always going to be difficult. They’re a top team with some world-class players in there and you have got to deal with them, but I thought in the first 30 minutes, in particular, we were frightening on the break."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "We were fantastic. At the start of the game we were exceptional. We were attacking every time we got the ball and it looked like we could carve them open every time. We could have, should have been three, four, five up and that's testament to the boys, because they played so well. It's so hard to play against them, and their players were coming from everywhere, every angle and the boys defended so well."
MAN OF THE MATCH
Despite the Reds' early attacking dynamism, it was right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka who triumphed in the fan vote to decide our Man of the Match. The defender denied fluent City forward Raheem Sterling a single shot on target, made seven clearances, won five tackles and gave away just one foul. More than that, he wore down City's incessant second-half attacks with his bloody-minded resilience and toughness.
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