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Impressive comeback in the best Ferguson traditions! Manchester United beat City in the Manchester derby

Date: March 29, 2024 Time: 21:05:09

THE MOST COMPETITIVE UNITED

Two derbies at once in the current round can determine the fate of the championship title: the townspeople went to Old Trafford, and the Gunners will play Tottenham on Sunday. And for the first time in a long time, Man City were not the peremptory favourites. Suffice it to say that Manchester United was closer to Josep Guardiola’s team (four points behind) than Arsenal (five points).

So the Red Devils were seriously determined to step on their main rival’s sore spot. They were quite confident in their abilities, because Eric ten Hag had already proven the correctness of the chosen path. Suffice it to say that he achieved 20 United wins faster than any other manager in the club’s history, including Sir Alex Ferguson. The Dutchman only had 27 games for it.

It is not for nothing that Guardiola before the match called this “United” the most competitive of all time in England. However, for the Catalan, previous matches with Manchester United were often successful. So, in the previous three games, the “citizens” achieved three victories with a total score of 12:4, two of them big – 4:1 and 6:3 in the first round. In the last game, Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick, and this time Guardiola had high hopes for him. And in general, compared to the match lost this week, Southampton sent all the strongest among the healthy to the field.

THE TEN HAG PLAN WORKS BEST

The first half showed that ten Hag prepared for the match better than his opponent. Guardiola is generally not one to adapt to opponents, so Man City appeared in his usual form: ball control is the foundation of the basics.

At the same time, recently “citizens” regularly lack imagination and willingness to make an effort on their own. Manchester United put a lot of pressure on the four attackers Marcus Rashford – Anthony Martial – Bruno Fernandes – Christian Eriksen, so that the guests most of the time had the ball in their own half without advancing. As a result, they made their first touch in someone else’s box only in the 23rd minute and at the same time made their first attempt at goal – the Netherlands played well on the rebound, but their shot was blocked by Casemiro, who rushed to their feet.

United, on the other hand, skillfully staged quick counter-attacks based on the speed of Martial and Rashford and Bruno and Eriksen’s superior ability to make a pass at any distance. At the same time, the hosts played number two, but not from defense. For the central third of the field, they almost do not leave the rival. The best moment came from Rashford, who was brought to the gate with another vertical transfer. Ederson hastily jumped out of the penalty area and was hit, but Markus did not dare to beat the first touch from a sharp angle, and after a moment Manuel Akanji managed to secure the goalkeeper.

All in all, the first half turned out to be very dynamic, but nothing spectacular, and ten Hag can take that under his belt. In hits, the hosts were 4-2 (2-0 on goal). And since in the match with Southampton Guardiola’s wards also did not hit the target, then the last hit at that time dates back to the match with Chelsea 140 minutes ago.

GREEK OUTPUT – WEAPONS OF MASS DEFEAT

It seems that the players got bored with Guardiola’s monotonous pre-game installations. In 2023, they clearly lack the fire in their eyes. In the first half of the game against Chelsea, the Citizens were also sluggish, turning on only because of the replacement of the coach. In the last game against Southampton they did not dare to play anything, but that was the League Cup. In the Premier League, the mentor cannot afford to relax.

“City” after the break really burst with activity and locked “MU” in its third of the field. If in the first 45 minutes they had possession of the ball close to 68% of the time, in the following 15 this figure exceeded 80. One, two, three clashes in David de Gea’s penalty area suggested a possible penalty, but ten Hag did not react to what was happening and paid the price for it – de Bruyne opened up in the penalty area, went in front and gently dangled over the head of Jack Grealish, who had run into the line goalkeeper, who had came on as a substitute three (!) minutes earlier.

It is noteworthy that the same thing happened in the game with Chelsea on January 5, only Grealish, immediately after coming on as a substitute, gave Riyad Mahreza an empty net. After the goal at Stamford Bridge, City went into the tie but allowed the rivals to level the game. So “MJ” God himself ordered to change the course of the meeting. But who could believe that it would happen like this?

FERGIE’S TIME IS BACK

The return goal was scandalous. During another vertical counterattack, Rashford opened up for a pass on an obvious offside, greatly embarrassing the defenders. The forward adjusted to the ball, but never touched it, leaving Bruno Fernandes at the last moment, who came running, and leveled the score with an accurate corner kick. The Citizens rightly pointed out to the referee that Rashford’s offside was not passive, but ruthless – he started from midfield.

Man City rushed to score the second and ultimately missed the second. Bruna found substitute Alejandro Garnacho on the left with a fresh pass, and fired into the center at second attempt, where Rashford, like a sword, drilled the ball into the net through Ederson. These two goals were separated by four minutes!!!

As a result, Manchester United, thanks to these two goals at the end, achieved the most brilliant comeback, bringing us back to the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. I’m sure the English media will be making references to the Great Scotsman era with might and main. And it has to be admitted that before ten Hag, no United manager was that close to this.

Based on the results of this match, City allowed Manchester United to close the gap to one point and Arsenal to increase the gap to eight points. To do this, the gunners must deal with the “spurs” tomorrow.

APP. twentieth round

Manchester United – Manchester City – 2:1 (0:0)

Goals: Grealish, 60 – 0:1. Bruno Fernandez, 78 – 1:1. Rashford, 82 – 2:1.

Manchester United: De Gea, Van Bissaka, Varane, Shaw, Malaysia (Maguire, 90+2), Casemiro (Maktominay, 90_+2), Fred, Eriksen (Garnacho, 72), Bruno Fernandes, Martial (Anthony, 46), Rashford (Lisandro Martinez, 90+2).

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Ake, Canselu, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, de Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden (57 Greek), Haaland.

Warnings: Eriksen, 64. Fred, 88. Casemiro, 89.

Referee: Atwell.

* This website provides news content gathered from various internet sources. It is crucial to understand that we are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented Read More

Puck Henry
Puck Henry
Puck Henry is an editor for ePrimefeed covering all types of news.
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