Man City vs. Man United result: Derby Defeat for Reds
It was a game of two halves for Ralf Rangnick and his side as they travelled to the Etihad. A brace from Kevin De Bruyne, punctuated but a curling strike from Jadon Sancho meant the away side went into half time a goal down, but with reason for optimism.
Although City were the better side in the first half, with a clear focus on attacking United’s right, the team in red could take some positives, and some hope, into the second half. They were well structured, and they were winning the ball back well in midfield. An equalising goal didn’t seem on the cards, and despite going being early on they were still in the game.
That soon changed, however. Guardiola’s side upped the tempo in the second half, right from the off, and United struggled to keep up. When the visitors pressed, it was easy for City to play through them, and the second half quickly settled into a regular rhythm. City passed the ball around in their own half. United came forward to press them, and City played through them.
With David De Gea’s inability to pass to a teammate only adding to the away side’s woes, it felt like only a matter of time before the hosts would dispatch with their visitors. City’s third came from a corner, with Mahrez finding space on the edge of the area to guide the ball home, after his teammate’s crowded the six yard area to leave him with space.
His shot deflected off Harry Maguire who, like many of his teammates, had a game he’ll quickly want to forget. City kept coming, and at no point did they feel like they weren’t in control. They played at walking pace and the game felt done with twenty minutes to go.
Mahrez made it four at the death, firing the ball at David De Gea to add injury to insult, as it hit him before landing in the back of the net. In truth, they had plenty of time to score their fourth before then, with multiple chances to really punish their visitors spurned.
It’s a good day for City, who remain six points clear of Liverpool, albeit having played a game more. For Manchester United, the campaign has a bleaker outlook. They have played three games more than Arsenal and Tottenham. Arsenal are a point ahead of them, and have better goal difference, while Tottenham are only five points behind them. West ham have played as many games as United and are only two points off Rangnick’s side, with the Red Devils also having a worse goal difference than the Hammers.
MORE: How Cristiano Ronaldo nearly signed with Man City
Man City vs. Man United final score
1H | 2H | Final | |
Man City | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Man United | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Goals:
Mahrez (Gundogan) — 90th min.
Mahrez (De Bruyne) — 69th min.
De Bruyne — 28th min.
Sancho (Pogba) — 22nd min.
De Bruyne (Bernardo) — 5th min.
(All times Eastern)
FINAL Man City 4, Man United 1
FULLTIME
With two minutes of added time over, Michael Oliver blows the final whistle. A painful defeat for Rangnick’s side, who were comprehensively outclassed in the second half.
90th min: GOAL!
De Gea slices his clearance, again, finding a City player. He seems to injure himself in the process, and City come forward. Mahrez runs in behind, and it played onside by Telles who tries, and fails, to stick with him. One on one with De Gea, who is caught in no man’s land, Mahrez fires the ball at De Gea’s face. It bounces off the goalkeeper, and into the net.
89th min: It should really be four. City create a couple of gilt edged chances, which are spurned by Mahrez, and then Gundogan.
88th min: Over the last 15 minutes, Manchester United have had 8% of possession. They manage a rare attack, Rashford runs the right channel and teases a cross into the area. Ederson is manage to get a hand on it, lifting it over Bruno Fernandes arriving from deep.
86th min: Another City corner ends up falling to Bernardo Silva on the edge of the box. His shot is blocked.
84th min: Every City pass brings an Ole from the home fans and, there are a lot of City passes. When they’re playing like this, it’s like they have an extra man.
82nd min: Cancelo tries an acrobatic volley to meet a lofted ball from the right. He gets it on target, but it doesn’t beat De Gea.
80th min: No hattrick for De Bruyne, as he comes off for Ilkay Gundogan.
79th min: Reminiscent of Foden on Wan-Bissaka earlier, this time De Bruyne outmuscles Victor Lindelof with ease.
77. Mahrvellous! 🥶
🔵 3-1 🔴 | #ManCity pic.twitter.com/Il0hoIyabH
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 6, 2022
77th min: United haven’t had a shot yet in the second half, which sums up the difference.
74th min: City feel like a child playing with their food at the moment. They pass it around at the back for fun, trigger the poorly coordinated United press, and play through it with ease. This time the ball finds Mahrez on the right, and De Gea parries his right footed shot to safety. The game feels over with fifteen minutes left, unless United can find some way to reverse the momentum.
72nd min: The atmosphere in the Etihad is pretty raucous now, and City are passing the ball around for fun. United have never truly felt at the races in the second half, and it’s too easy to City now.
69th min: GOAL!
It’s another City corner as they play through the middle of United. The ball is lifted over everyone, to the edge of the area on the far side of the D. Riyad Mahrez is there to meet De Bruyne’s pinged corner. The Algerian half volleys the ball towards goal. It deflects slightly off Maguire’s knee, to ensure it evades De Gea.
65th min: Another De Gea goal kick finds a City player, I’m not sure when he last managed to find a teammate, but the hosts force another turnover. De Bruyne find Mahrez on the right, who switches to Grealish on the right. City keep the ball on the left before a rare misjudgement, and it goes out for a throw to United.
64th min: It’s a double change for the visitors, with Elanga and Pogba off for Lingard and Rashford.
63rd min: It’s De Bruyne who takes the free kick. He fires it across goal, through the crowd on the edge of the wall, but it doesn’t trouble De Gea. Play continues, and Maguire’s late challenge on De Bruyne as he breaks is not great to see. It’s only a booking for the United skipper, but it could have been worse.
60th min: This time it’s United that win the ball in a promising area. Fred picks up the ball on the halfway line and carries it forward. He slides it in to Elanga on the right, but a defender gets a toe on it and it goes out for a United corner, which ends up being worked back to De Gea. His ball forward finds a City player, and the hosts come again. Mahrez drives forward, and Fred gives away a free kick on the edge of the D, left hand side.
57th min: United are really struggling to get out here, this time a De Gea goal kick to the halfway line can only find a blue shirt. City come down the left again and win another corner.
54th min: It’s a little slow from City as they pass it around at the back, until Laporte fizzes the ball into Grealish on the halfway line. He turns and carries forward, slipping in Mahrez on the right. His shot is blocked. Maguire heads away the first corner, beating Laporte in the air. The second corner is a little scrappy. It ends with Foden winning the ball high up on the right as United try to break, but he’s caught between shooting and passing, and the opportunity fades.
53rd min: Elanga has had a couple of opportunities to break, snuffed out by Cancelo and Laporte respectively. The passes into him could be better. Whenever the wide man received the ball in the first half, there were too many bodies around him.
💫 @Sanchooo10 looking to create 🔴#MUFC | #MCIMUN pic.twitter.com/tPuZtO48h8
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 6, 2022
50th min: United haven’t started the second half well. A flurry of City attacks see Aaron Wan-Bissaka try and see the ball out, but Grealish is alive to the opportunity. He steals the ball and passes it back to De Bruyne, who can’t hit the target from inside the area. A City free kick from deep is lifted into the United area. It drops to Bernardo on the edge of the area, his shot is blocked, but City keep the ball. City win the ball high up, with Foden shoulder barging Wan-Bissaka with ease. His shot goes wide, but Manchester United need to turn up soon. Wan-Bissaka, in particular, is not having a great few minutes.
46th min: We’re back underway, with City kicking things off.
HALFTIME The corner comes to nothing, and the first half comes to an end as Ederson holds on to the ball. City have the advantage here, but United have offered enough to ensure that this game isn’t over yet.
47th min: Maguire has to time his tackle well on the edge of his area as De Bruyne carries the ball on the break. He does so, and United manage a counter of their own. They’ll have time to take a corner before half time.
45th min: More involvement for Mahrez! City take a quick free kick in midfield and De Bruyne carries it towards the right. He plays it out to Mahrez, who is one on one against Telles. It’s easy for him to come inside the left back and he opens up to curl it into the far corner, but De Gea is equal to his effort.
43rd min: More City pressure leads to a corner. While it doesn’t come to anything, the hosts retain possession, and Riyad Mahrez even gets a touch.
39th min: United play keep ball for a while on the edge of City’s third, but they struggle to find a way through, and in the end Pogba gives it away. De Bruyne does well to play the ball through for Foden on the left but from a tight angle Foden fires across goal and wide of the far post.
37th min: Warm applause as the stoppage comes to an end, and Michael Oliver drops the ball at the feet of John Stones so play can resume.
34th min: That City goal feels like the kind of goal Rangnick wants his side to score, winning the ball high up before looking to capitalise as quickly as possible. It’s an impromptu drinks break as Michael Oliver brings the game to a pause. There’s a medical emergency in the stands. Pep Guardiola and Ralf Rangnick are both in conversation with their players, who take the opportunity to rehydrate.
32nd min: City feel like they’re turning the screw a little here. A penny for the thoughts of Riyad Mahrez. With City overloading their left, De Bruyne has had the freedom to attack the resulting space, while Mahrez has been on the opposite wing. The Algerian has been a spectator so far, albeit with a better view than anyone else in the stadium.
28th min: GOAL!
The hosts are back in front! Good control by Foden gets him into the area and, after his initial shot is saved by De Gea, it’s pinball as Bernardo’s follow up shot is blocked, before the ball drops to De Bruyne. The Belgian has found himself in acres of space time and time again during the game, and he’s left with an easy finish.
27th min: City are overloading the United right with Bernardo, Foden, and Grealish all moving over there. Bernardo’s clipped cross inside the area bounces off the head of an unwitting Phil Foden and has De Gea scrambling as it loops up, before bouncing off the crossbar and away to safety. That’s followed by a blocked shot as Grealish tries to hit a dropping ball first time.
24th min: United’s shape has been compact. They haven’t sat deep, but they’ve congested the middle of the park well, looking for opportunities to win the ball back high up when they can. City come forward again, and look to be targetting United’s right flank, but it’s a United goal kick.
22nd min: GOAL!
It’s the former City player, as Sancho curls the ball deliciously into the far corner! The ball finds him in space on the left. The overlapping runner draws Walker away and Sancho has enough space to take a touch inside. From the edge of the area he opens his body up and curls the ball into the bottom corner, past the dive of Ederson.
21st min: United cut out a pass in midfield and it finds Sancho, before working right to Pogba, then Elanga, then Wan-Bissaka, whose cross hits a City player. City carry it forward and McTominay gives away a free kick as the host try and counter. Grealish gets ball in space on the left but nothing comes of it.
18th min: The pressure builds, as City appeal for a penalty, but Michael Oliver gives a United free kick instead. De Bruyne drives into the box in the left half space, his left footed shot is pushed into the danger area by De Gea, and Foden tussles with Maguire as they both try to reach the rebound. City claim Foden was pulled down, but Michael Oliver sees the incident differently.
17th min: It feels like City have established a little more control on the game now, United are sitting a little deeper in response.
15th min: A couple of tasty challenges so far. A Bernardo tackle on Bruno earlier saw him catch his compatriots standing foot with his follow through, before Maguire catches De Bruyne late on the halfway line as the Belgian plays a pass.
12th min: Despite the disappointing start, United have looked threatening so far. Both teams are pressing fairly high, meaning there’s going to be space for attackers.
5️⃣0️⃣ #PL goals for @DeBruyneKev 👏#MCIMUN 🔵 @ManCity pic.twitter.com/Nqp3m8QHk2
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 6, 2022
10th min: Better from United. The ball finds Sancho on the left a couple of times as United put on a little pressure. Bruno, on the edge of the area, slides the ball into Fred’s feet. He tries to turn into space, but Ederson is out quickly to smother the ball before he can take another touch. United win the ball back in midfield a couple of times though.
8th min: A nightmare start for the visitors. Pogba and Bruno are both pushed high up centrally, while Marcus Rashford watched on from the bench.
5th min: GOAL!
De Bruyne sweeps home from inside the area, with less than five minutes gone. City build it down the left, with good work between Grealish and Bernardo. The cutback finds De Bruyne, on the edge of the six yard area, who is in acres of space to finish comfortably. Telles will think he should have done better.
3rd min: It’s the away side who pass it around the back now. Sancho and Elanga are staying wide for the away side.
1st min: It’s a scrappy start, before the hosts get hold of the ball. United press fairly high up, but City don’t look uncomfortable as they pass it around the back.
11:30 a.m.: A minute’s applause, as the City and United players stand intermingled around the centre circle. The message is supported by both the home and away supporters, followed by a roar as it ends, and the teams line up for kick off. The away side will get things underway.
11:28 a.m.: The teams are out in Manchester. Both sides sport a NO WAR message on their tops.
11:15 a.m.: Oleksandr Zinchenko gets a warm welcome from the fans as he warms up. The home team will be going into the game as favourites, but United have a good record in this stadium, and neither side will be feeling comfortable going into this one.
11:00 a.m.: Make no mistake about it, the big story entering the match is Cristiano Ronaldo’s surprise absence. There was no hint earlier that the hip flexor was still a problem.
Rangnick on Cavani: « Edi trained well last three days but, at the end, he didn’t feel quite well enough to play. Cristiano had some problems with his hip on Friday and since then didn’t play. » #MUFC @MirrorFootball
— David McDonnell (@DiscoMirror) March 6, 2022
Man City vs. man United lineups
With Ruben Dias missing out, Stones and Laporte are the defensive pairing for Pep Guardiola. He has no struggles in attack however, picking Grealish, Mahrez, and Phil Foden to man the attack with Raheem Sterling a surprise omission.
Man City predicted lineup (4-3-3): Ederson — Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo — Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne — Mahrez, Foden, Grealish
Man City subs (9): Carson, Sterling, Gundogan, Jesus, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Delap, Mbete, McAtee
In addition to Ronaldo’s absence (hip flexor) and Edinson Cavani’s failure to recover from his groin injury despite days of solid training, per Rangnick, the team will be without starters Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw due to COVID-19.
Man United lineup (4-3-3): De Gea — Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Varane, Telles — Fred, McTominay, Pogba — Elanga, Fernandes, Sancho
Man United subs (9): Henderson, Bailly, Dalot, Jones, Hannibal, Lingard, Mata, Matic, Rashford
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