BEVERLY HILLS, March 08, (THEWILL) – Predicting a Manchester City win in the derby with city rivals Manchester United was the logical sound call to make given antecedents, style of play, Pep Guardiola’s tactical chops and the drive of the Cityzens to maintain their solid run of victories towards the very realisation of their perceived title as “champions in waiting.”
Yet, the dreamy 21-match streak of league wins amassed by English Premier League leaders City that saw them open up a 14-point gap at the top of the league standings came to an abrupt end at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in the eagerly anticipated Manchester Derby that did not disappoint.
Quick-fire goals in both halves helped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side turn things in their favour and a profligate set of City players ensured Pep Guardiola will have to wait some more to get one over the Norwegian Old Trafford manager, having already been three times unlucky.
The tie began in startling fashion that played out against City. They were unfortunate to concede an early penalty when forward Gabriel Jesus fouled United French striker Anthony Martial within seconds of the first half. It was the kind of opportunity United playmaker Bruno Fernandes would have prayed for to add to his spot-kick tally.
As usual of a Guardiola side, City characteristically spent most of the fixture in United’s half, but the chances they created failed to seriously test United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. And, with only five minutes into the second period, United defender Luke Shaw exchanged passes with forward Marcus Rashford before hitting a bullet into the net from 20 yards out to double their advantage.
City’s pursuit of a record-equalling 22 successive victories notched by La Liga big-wigs Real Madrid in 2014 failed and their 2-0 loss has also narrowed their lead over United and the rest of the Premier League to 11 points. However, above all these, the most succinct element of United’s victory is the elimination of the aura of invincibility that it appeared City operated within in their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple.
Under Guardiola’s managerial tutelage, the blue side of Manchester have been the best front-runners in EPL history with statistics to show for it from their very first run where they became centurions by cracking the 100 points barrier. Since jumping ahead in January to the top, they have never looked like ever loosening their grip.
It does not appear that they suddenly will decline after this loss but this dent on their aura, the way it played out on their home turf and without them succeeding in breaching the United defense, irrespective of their several attempts to do so, all tell the clubs next in line to face City that they can hope to get something, if not all three points, from that fixture, whether at home or away against the Cityzens.
As such, while they may have enough points to act as buffer to insulate them from the lingering effects of the end of their unbeaten run at the hands of city rivals and the debilitating effects of the loss, they are expected to retake the EPL trophy from the fumbling Liverpool. However, with a quadruple in their sights, the League will not be enough for City and that is not how the success of this season will be judged.
Can they dominate in Europe as they have done in England? Will they be given the accolades and accorded the respect fellow English clubs like Liverpool and United enjoy in Europe because of their exploits all the way to European Cup glory, an honour that has eluded Guardiola in his tenure at City and which he desperately feels he has to bring about to make the season truly rewarding.
That is where a loss like this will prove very consequential. City were not their fluent best when they went behind in only the second minute of the derby, which, at 101 seconds, was the earliest goal that City have ever conceded at the Etihad. From there, the under-par performance only served to embolden the Red Devils to play with more determination and purpose, something City could not muster.
If that happened in these latter stages of the UCL and Guardiola’s side capitulates the way they did against the visitors from Old Trafford, especially against hard-hitting sides like La Liga’s Real Madrid, Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain or the deadliest of all, Bundesliga’s Bayern Munich, they will bag a lot more than just the two goals that United managed. And, that will be the end of another year of disappointing ends.
While Guardiola will give that consideration as much concern as it merits, Solskjaer will revel in the ascendancy he has earned for himself in the intense occasion of the fiercely contested fixtures that are the Manchester derbies. The Norwegian is the first manager in United history to win his first three Manchester Derby away games.
In ending City’s winning run, United extended their unbeaten away record to 21, a run that dates back to February 2020 with their last loss away from Old Trafford in the league coming against Liverpool in January last year as the Reds raced to the title. Their 21-match unbeaten run coincidentally equals the second longest run of all time in the EPL which is Liverpool’s who went 21 league away matches without losing between January 2019 and February 2020.
The only aspect of Sunday’s win that may slightly dampen United’s magnificent day was an injury sustained to Marcus Rashford. The attacker was forced off with a problem in the 73rd minute. United will wait for a proper medical check to know the severity of the problem.
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