Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola took Manchester City back to the top of the table tonight with a priceless win at Old Trafford over city rivals United.
Two quick-fire goals from Bernardo Silva and Leroy Sane won the game and consigned the home side to a seventh defeat in nine games.
This was a match with huge implications for both Manchester clubs, with City chasing back-to-back Premier League titles and United desperately trying to regain some momentum in their chase for a top-four place.
The Red Devils certainly recovered some pride with a high-energy performance, but in the end, the Sky Blues’ quality was just too much.
The Premier League 2019 betting odds to win the title have swung further towards Manchester City with three games to play, but it’s going down to the wire.
Highlights of the game
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted his Manchester United are not ready to compete with the league’s elite, and may not be ready next season, either. But they started this game intent on showing that, on their day, they can take on the very best. Paul Pogba first Ederson with a low strike from distance.
The Sky Blues’ top player of the 2017/18 campaign, Kevin De Bruyne, has had an injury-riddled season and missed out on the derby with a hamstring knock.
His latest absence meant a return for David Silva, who put in a superb performance, while Guardiola brought more experience into the side with Vincent Kompany at the back. But the City skipper picked up an early yellow card for a foul on Marcus Rashford.
The Sky Blues eventually got into their stride, though. Raheem Sterling almost wrong-footed David De Gea when his shot was deflected by Chris Smalling, but the Spaniard got down well to save.
For United, Pogba looked up for this game. He lobbed a beauty of a ball over for Jesse Lingard, who lifted his first-time effort wide. Bernardo Silva then tested De Gea again with a fierce shot which the United keeper beat away. And at the other end, Rashford fired a long-range effort over.
City began to take control as half-time approached. David Silva linked up brilliantly with Sergio Aguero before Raheem Sterling took over. But as he worked himself into a yard of space he shot too close to De Gea. And with the last chance of the half, Aguero fired wide as the Red Devils deservedly held out until the break.
The Sky Blues came out for the second period at a higher tempo. David Silva found Leroy Sane, whose squared ball just evaded everyone. But the Blue half of Manchester erupted on 54 minutes when Bernardo Silva cut inside Luke Shaw and fired a low shot inside De Gea’s near post.
City almost made it two a minute later, but Aguero’s shot crashed off the base of the post and flew wide.
The Red Devils were handed a good chance when Pogba was felled by Bernardo Silva just outside the penalty area. However, the Frenchman blasted his free-kick into the City defensive wall.
And then, in the blink of an eye, it was 0-2. City broke at speed as Sterling slid the ball sideways to Sane, who fired home the second. De Gea got a boot to the shot, but the sheer force took the ball into the net.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought Romelu Lukaku on, and he had a cross-shot which Ederson kept out. But the home side, loyally backed by their fans, never gave up, and that was a big improvement on their showing at Everton last weekend.
Key Statistics
With pre-match SBOBET odds pointing to an away win the outcome was no surprise, but at the break, it looked far from certain.
But two early goals in the second half made it 11 league wins on the trot for City, the best of any side in the Premier League this season.
Solskjaer has not won in his last six meetings with Manchester City, two as a manager and four as a player.
Vincent Kompany’s yellow card was his tenth in Manchester Derbies and that’s another record!
What’s next?
Red Devils’ fans were reeling from a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Everton last weekend but they won some pride back with a spirited fight against Manchester City tonight and are still in the top four race.
Next up they have another crunch match when Maurizio Sarri brings rivals Chelsea to the Theatre of Dreams. The Blues boss may be in the stands after landing an FA charge for his conduct at the end of a bad-tempered clash with Burnley on Monday night.
Manchester City’s title charge continues with a testing visit to Turf Moor where Burnley awaits. Fresh on the back of their 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, the Clarets will be plotting to give another of the big boys a bloody nose.
It promises to be another momentous weekend and we’ll be right here with all the latest Premier League 2019 updates as the season heads towards a scintillating climax.
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