Romelu Lukaku was signed for £75million in the summer to pose a threat in front of goal. Manchester United never reckoned it would be their own.
The Belgium striker had a first Manchester derby to forget, inadvertently contributing towards both Manchester City goals, one a corner, the other a freekick. And we thought Pep Guardiola’s might be vulnerable at set-pieces.
Lukaku’s misery was complete when he failed to score what looked an almost certain equaliser in the dying minutes as Ederson produced a stunning double save from him and Juan Mata.
Nicolas Otamendi was the hero as his acrobatic effort from close range sealed a 14th victory in a row for Manchester City
Otamendi salutes the crowd after putting Manchester City back into the lead with a goal very similar to Silva’s opening strike
Manchester City playmaker David Silva broke the deadlock with a close-range effort following a first-half corner
Silva celebrates with his team-mates as Manchester City take the lead during a dominant first-half display at Old Trafford
Manchester United players make their way to their starting positions with dejected demeanours after conceding a second
Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata look on in disbelief after City goalkeeper Ederson manages to save their close-range shots
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo (Lindelof 46), Young; Herrera (Mata 82), Matic; Martial, Lingard (Ibrahimovic 76), Rashford; Lukaku.
Subs not used: Romero, Jones, Shaw, McTominay.
Goals: Rashford 45+2
Bookings: Rojo, Rashford, Herrera, Young
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Kompany (Gundogan 46), Delph; Fernandinho, Silva (Bernardo 88), De Bruyne; Sterling, Sane, Jesus (Mangala 59).
Sub not used: Bravo, Danilo, Zinchenko, Aguero.
Goals: Silva 43, Otamendi 54
Bookings: Walker, Silva
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Referee: Michael Oliver
- Premier League
- Premier League
- Championship
- League One
- League Two
- Scottish Premiership
- Scottish Div 1
- Scottish Div 2
- Scottish Div 3
- Ligue 1
- Serie A
- La Liga
- Bundesliga
Marcus Rashford pounced on a loose touch from Fabian Delph to score the equaliser
Certainly if United can’t do it on their own patch, how can they expect others to beat the Premier League leaders?
Jose Mourinho’s side fought gamely here in what was a physical and at times bad-tempered derby. They equalised through Marcus Rashford after David Silva had fired City in front, but Nicolas Otamendi snatched a second-half winner that gives City a huge amount of breathing space now.
What better place to record a record 14th straight win in the top-flight than against a United side whose 40-run unbeaten home run in all competitions came to an end?
It has lasted since a home defeat to City in this fixture in September 2016, and this was a game Mourinho really needed to win to cut City’s eight-point lead at the top of the table and re-ignite the title race.
The United manager’s tactics had been the source of much debate in the build-up to kick-off. Would Mourinho park the bus against the freescoring Premier League leaders and look to hit them on the break?
His line-up suggested not. With Paul Pogba suspended and Marouane Fellaini not ready to return from a knee injury, Mourinho kept Mata on the bench and left Henrikh Mkhitaryan out completely, preferring to play Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial behind Lukaku. It was a young attack, full of energy and running but one not really conducive to shutting up shop.
City, meanwhile, were able to recall Vincent Kompany and Silva after injury and Guardiola rather surprisingly opted for Gabriel Jesus over Sergio Aguero in attack.
Manchester City’s corner deflected off United striker Romelu Lukaku and fell the the feet of Silva, who finished the chance
David de Gea and his Manchester United defenders look to the linesman for an offside call, but Silva was several yards onside
England international Marcus Rashford buried a chance after Manchester City’s Fabian Delph failed to control a wayward pass
Rashford is congratulated by his Manchester United and England team-mate Jesse Lingard following his equaliser
Otamendi was gifted the chance to put City back into the lead after Lukaku’s clearance bounced off a crowd of players
Manchester City defender Otamendi runs off to celebrate after giving Manchester City a 2-1 lead at Old Trafford
Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson keeps them in the lead with a dramatic point-blank save from striker Lukaku
The goalkeeper got back on his feet within moments to deny a follow-up shot from Manchester United star Mata
Lukaku failed to clear the ball in the build up to both of Manchester City’s goal and also missed a great chance to score
The Brazilian had given another disappointing performance in the 2-1 Champions League defeat away to Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek, City’s first defeat in any competition this season.
Guardiola has said all along that the true test of his players will be how they respond to that setback and they started very well here. The first half was a story of City playing the better football and United trying to contain them, much as had been expected.
Until it produced two goals in the final minutes of the half, it was brought to life by some good old-fashioned derby tackles.
Kyle Walker was booked by Michael Oliver inside the opening four minutes for upending Ander Herrera with a late challenge, but Nemanja Matic escaped punishment for clipping the England right-back shortly afterwards.
Kompany then brought protests from the United players when he ploughed into Herrera before Marcos Rojo and Silva both needed treatment after the Argentine flew into the back of the City playmaker to win a header.
Rojo came off worse with a cut to his forehead and was down for several minutes before walking gingerly to the touchline to change his bloodstained shirt.
A battle would have suited Mourinho more, but City were still able to produce enough good football to cause their neighbours problems.
‘Park the bus, park the bus, Man United,’ sang the City fans and that was increasingly the case as they were forced to defend in numbers and rely on the long ball to Lukaku.
Snow falls in front of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand at Old Trafford before the game gets underway on Sunday afternoon
Manchester United and City players are followed by the Spider-Cam as they head onto the pitch from the Old Trafford tunnel
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shakes hands with his United counterpart Mourinho before the match kicks off
Star strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sergio Aguero greet each other as they make their way to their respective dugouts
United tried to smother City’s quick, interchanging passing on the edge of the box but it could have led to a penalty when Jesus went down as Herrera stretched out a leg. The Spaniard could also have been penalised for wrestling Otamendi to the ground at a free. You had to remind yourself that Herrera had actually been detailed to man-mark Kevin De Bruyne.
On several occasions, City threatened to make the breakthrough. Chris Smalling got enough of a challenge on Raheem Sterling to take the sting out of his shot straight at David De Gea, and Jesus produced an equally tame effort at the United keeper after leaving Rojo on his backside.
Guardiola’s side drew first blood in the 43rd minute after De Gea had produced a fantastic reflex save from Leroy Sane when Ashley Young misjudged Kompany’s ball into the box.
From the resulting corner from De Bruyne, Lukaku knocked the ball back towards his own goal under pressure from Otamendi and Silva, played onside by Young, hooked it past De Gea from close-range.
It was no more than City deserved and it challenged United to open up and respond. Martial immediately forced Ederson into his first real save of the half when he ran to the edge of the box before letting fly, and we were into the third of four minutes added on for the Rojo stoppage when United equalised.
Managers Mourinho and Guardiola watch as Antonio Valencia and Leroy Sane challenge for the ball during the first half
Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is surrounded by three Manchester United players on the edge of their area
Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus shoots at the United goal and looks on in dejection after failing to score a goal
Guardiola gesticulates on from his technical area while his counterpart Mourinho controls the ball after it goes out of play
The Argentine was involved in the goal as he swung a cross left to right. Otamendi rose to meet it but succeeded only in flicking it on. It was awkward for Fabian Delph but he should have dealt with the bounce of the ball better. Instead it deflected off him into the path of Rashford who was calmness personified, striking the ball first time across Ederson and into the far corner.
It was a moment of sloppiness form City and it had cost them dearly.
Half-time brought a change in central defence for both teams, Rojo succumbing to his injuries and Kompany forced off for City. It’s unlikely Rojo would have made any difference to City’s second goal scored in the 54th minute.
Herrera was penalised for a foul on Jesus 25 yards out and Silva swung a freekick to the edge of the six-yard box. Lukaku had it covered and he also had time to weigh up what to do next. The Belgium striker chose to clear first-time but aimed the ball straight into Smalling’s backside. It deflected to Otamendi who volleyed emphatically past De Gea.
Guardiola was determined not to make the same mistake twice and sent on Eliaquim Mangala for Jesus to try and protect the lead.
Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera yelps after a firm challenge from Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany
Manchester United players surround referee Michael Oliver to demand further punishment for Kompany’s sliding challenge
Marcos Rojo bleeds profusely after a clash of heads with Manchester City midfielder David Silva, who also lies injured
The Argentine required lengthy treatment from the Manchester United physios while Silva escaped relatively unharmed
Lingard gave Lukaku a chance to make amends in the 66th minute with an exquisite throughball that presented the Belgian with a clear sight of goal but his effort was fired high and wide. Rashford then failed to trouble Ederson with a freekick over the top after Martial had been brought down.
City responded with a slick move that allowed De Bruyne to fire a low shot from the edge of the box, and De Gea did well to turn it away with his right hand.
United hit back with Ederson blocking a stinging drive from Rashford, and Mourinho sent on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mata. The little Spaniard was denied by Ederson who made an amazing double save when Martial crossed for Lukaku, and the City keeper kept out his first effort from close-range and Mata’s follow-up.
So City win the day and who knows, probably the title as well. You have to take your hat off to them.
Guardiola celebrates while Mourinho looks concerned after seeing Manchester City retake the lead through Otamendi
Rashford attempts to get Manchester United back on level terms with a free-kick shot, but sees his effort go narrowly over
Jesse Lingard makes way for Ibrahimovic as Manchester United switch to a more attacking formation in search of a goal
Herrera causes a commotion between the two teams after appearing to dive over the leg of Manchester City’s Otamendi
The Spaniard found his way into Oliver’s book after attempting to win a penalty from Otamendi in the Manchester City box
Delph celebrates in front of the travelling Manchester City supporters following the final whistle at Old Trafford