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At one time this was deemed the biggest match in the country. Nowadays, the fixture only presents an opportunity for the Red Devils to play for some pride. Manchester City came into this game knowing that they had won four of his previous six games against their derby rivals. As for Manchester United, they gained some belief from the fact that they’ve only lost one of their last four visits to the Etihad. City were clear favourites for this match but United’s win over Tottenham in mid-week added another element to this game.
The game started frantically, with both teams attacking at will when in possession. It was the red side of Manchester that struck first when Marcus Rashford converted from the spot in the 23rd minute after Bernardo Silva brought down the penalty taker. United would pile on more pressure by adding a second through Anthony Martial in the 29th minute. Pep’s men would pull one back in the 85th minute through a Nicolas Otamendi header, but it was not enough to stop United from pulling off a famous victory.
Here are three reasons why Manchester United beat Manchester City at the Etihad.
#3 Counter-attacking setup
For weeks on end, we’ve heard many a Manchester United fan complain about the tactical ineptness of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. His inexperience and lack of coaching credibility have led to the fanbase calling for the available Mauricio Pochettino to replace him as soon as possible. However, things have taken a turn for the best for the Norwegian as he beat his predecessor José Mourinho on Wednesday and then disposed of arguably the world’s best coach today.
At the Etihad, Ole decided to set up United in a surprisingly wide and attacking 4-2-3-1 that looked to take advantage of City’s offensive full-backs. City’s makeshift defence was being pulled in different directions by United’s attack due to quick switches of play and elusive movement. The 46-year-old outsmarted his esteemed Spanish counterpart in his own stadium with a supposedly poorer squad in quality.
#2 Manchester City’s defensive woes
Ever since Aymeric Laporte got sent to the physio room with a devastating knee injury, Manchester City has been a mess at the back. Guardiola’s men have been susceptible to counter attacks all season long, shipping in 10 more goals than they had at this time last season. The Manchester City manager has tried different combinations in defence, sometimes he went for Nicolas Otamendi with John Stones, but then he deemed that unacceptable and went with Stones alongside an out of position Fernandinho.
This experiment has woefully failed with every team who plays them finding joy running at their centre-backs. So far this season, the Sky Blues have conceded an embarrassing 19 goals in 16 games. This has seen them fall 14 points behind Liverpool, with not even half the season gone. You can guarantee that the Sky Blues will be writing cheques for a defender in January in a desperate attempt to salvage a forgettable season.
#1 Aaron Wan-Bissaka comes of age
In the summer, Manchester United spent a combined £130million on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire. It’s fair to say that the former has been a revelation for the Red Devils. The former Crystal Palace man has completely owned the RB spot, ensuring that it’s no longer a weak spot for the club. Today, the 22-year-old came of age and showed his true potential. Up against his greatest test thus far, the youngster excelled.
After a few early scares, the right-back pocketed the country’s best winger in Raheem Sterling. In a world-class performance, Wan-Bissaka made 5 tackles, 7 clearances and 2 vital interceptions. He did this against the best attack in the country with only 28.1% possession.
For Gareth Southgate, he has immense quality in the RB department with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Reece James and Wan-Bissaka all fighting for the England shirt. After today’s performance, the United defender may be up there on the list.
