MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City produced an impressive second-half display to beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford despite playing with 10 men for almost 70 minutes.
Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute for kicking out at United captain Bruno Fernandes, who was fortunate he wasn’t punished for appearing to kick the City midfielder first. But United couldn’t make the most of their numerical advantage, and Erling Haaland scored midway through the second half after a long VAR check.
Haaland was initially flagged offside, but the Norwegian was celebrating in front of the jubilant traveling fans when it was decided — controversially — that United’s Patrick Dorgu had played him onside.
United hit the post twice through Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, while Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a reflex save deep into stoppage time to stop Bryan Mbeumo from grabbing an equalizer.
But it was City who were celebrating at the end as coach Enzo Maresca marked his first derby win by charging down the touchline toward the visiting fans at the final whistle. — Rob Dawson
Bad day for VAR at Old Trafford
There were two huge calls by the officials during this game, and referee Michael Oliver and his team got them both wrong.
The first involved a red card for City midfielder Foden on 25 minutes after he kicked out at Fernandes in clear view of Oliver, who wasted no time in sending the England player off. Oliver was right to issue the red card — City’s first league red against United since 2006 — because Foden quite clearly lashed out and caught the United captain in the stomach.
But Foden’s reaction came after Fernandes kicked the City player twice while he laid on the ground. Whether they were forceful enough to warrant a red card is debatable, but they were certainly enough to justify a booking, and VAR Matthew Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus should have suggested to Oliver that he at least review the challenge by Fernandes. That didn’t happen, and the Portugal international escaped any punishment for his part in the incident.
United failed to capitalize on the one-man advantage, though, and their inability to take any of their subsequent scoring chances meant that the next big VAR mistake cost the home side the game.
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Haaland’s goal on 60 minutes was initially flagged for offside, but after a lengthy review, the goal was given because Josko Gvardiol’s cross was deflected into the box by United’s Dorgu. But the VAR judged that City’s Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play while challenging United’s Lisandro Martínez for the ball in the six-yard box.
Offside rules state that a player will be penalized and offside awarded is a player is challenging for or preventing an opponent from reaching the ball. Both were the case with Enzo. But VAR team Donohue and Antrobus once again made the wrong call, and their decision could prove to be one of the biggest mistakes of the season. — Ogden
City deliver a 10-man master class
Except for a spell immediately after halftime, City were exceptional with 10 men.
Maresca got his decisions spot on. He could have made City compact and tried to defend the box, but he brought on Iliman Ndiaye for Rayan Cherki at halftime and kept wingers high and wide. It gave City a way to relieve pressure and also led to the goal. Ndiaye was terrific after coming on, and Haaland used his physicality to bring others into the game.
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Enzo Fernandez played a key part, too. He was disciplined when United had the ball and motored up field when City crossed the halfway line. It was fitting that when he went off late on, he left the field with a bloody nose after leaving everything out on the pitch.
It was a tactical master class from Maresca in how to play a man down and his players followed his instructions perfectly while doing their bit to slow the game down and run down the clock. — Dawson
Despite advantage, United limp in attack
As well as City played with 10 men, United should have done far more.
They hit the post twice — from a Marcus Rashford free kick just before halftime and from Kobbie Mainoo in the second half — but both were long range effort from outside the box. The best chance United had inside City’s penalty area didn’t come until the 95th minute, when Donnarumma produced a stunning save to deny Bryan Mbeumo.
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It was all too comfortable for City given they played with 10 men for so long. United didn’t get in behind City’s defense at all, and everything was in front of center backs Marc Guéhi and Rúben Dias. Striker Benjamin Sesko was introduced in the 67 minute, but not once did United get the ball wide and cross into the box for the striker to attack the ball.
Once Foden was sent off, the game was there for United, and they failed to take advantage. — Dawson
Mainoo and Rashford silence their doubters
United lost the 199th Manchester derby, but their two Mancunians in the starting team at least produced a performance they could be proud of.
Mainoo and Rashford have both had a difficult recent few months — Mainoo was the only unused player in England’s World Cup squad and Rashford is back at United after hoping to make his loan move to Barcelona a permanent one.
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But already this season, both players have shown that they have put those disappointments behind them. Mainoo was outstanding in midfield against Fernandez and Anderson. Although he lacks the pace to make him a world-class midfielder, his ability on the ball makes him a real asset to Michael Carrick, and the imminent arrival of new signing Carlos Baleba in the team might give United the full complement of qualities they need for a top midfield.
Rashford is a different story. His career has had highs and lows, and we are waiting to see whether his season will go up or down. But he has been United’s best attacking player this season and just needs a goal to relaunch his Old Trafford career.
England manager Thomas Tuchel was in the stands to watch this game, and he will have left impressed by Mainoo and Rashford. — Ogden
