While waiting for the shareholder movements that keep them in an uncomfortable limbo to culminate, and to see in what direction, the present of Manchester United is far below the history they venerate and to which they paid tribute this Sunday at Old Trafford with an emotional tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, a prelude to a derby won by City, who not long ago had a higher level than today, but who had enough to dominate their eternal rival. Of the last nine derbies, the light blue team has won six, tied one and lost two. City is today the king of Manchester and its fans cheer their team among olés at Old Trafford.
0
Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Evans, Harry Maguire, Nilsson-Lindelöf (Reguilón, min. 73), Eriksen (Antony, min. 86), Bruno Fernandes, Sofyan Amrabat (Mason Mount, min. 45), Rashford (Anthony Martial, min. 86), McTominay and Rasmus Winther Hojlund (Alejandro Garnacho, min. 73)
3
Ederson Moraes, Walker, Gvardiol, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Rodrigo, Julián Álvarez (Kovacic, min. 86), Grealish (Jeremy Doku, min. 87), Bernardo Silva, Foden and Erling Braut Haaland
Goals 0-1 min. 26: Erling Braut Haaland. 0-2 min. 49: Erling Braut Haaland. 0-3 min. 79: Foden.
Referee Paul Tierney
Yellow cards Andre Onana (min. 25), Foden (min. 42), Antony (min. 92) and Bruno Fernandes (min. 93)
This last victory came with more work than brilliance, with an opening in the scoreboard charged by the VAR, which notified the referee of a hookup between Hojlund and Rodri in the local area, one of those actions that are classified as common in the areas and which are now laid bare before the all-seeing eye. Of course, it seems that other times the eye looks elsewhere and from there arise regrets, grievances and misunderstandings. The fact is that between Paul Tierney and Michael Oliver, who are supposed to be the two best referees in the Premier, the action was classified as a penalty. And Haaland did the rest with two goals and an assist for Foden to celebrate.
City are locked in a five-way fight for the lead. Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and the team coached by Guardiola are limited to four points at the top of a table led by the surprising Spurs. Manchester United camps at 11 points, flat, defined this day by a line-up in which the centre-back duo was made up of the highly criticized and limited Maguire and Jonny Evans, a former youth player who served as a pawn in the final years of Sir Alex Ferguson with the team and that after a journey at West Bromwich and Leicester he returned last July with a temporary contract to maintain the tone during the team’s summer tour. The man, 35 years old, went out to fight with Haaland.
In reality, United gave everything. He has nothing left over, but he has pride. And he stayed in the game for a long time even though he began to shrink from the beginning. The unorthodox goalkeeper Onana helped him with some worthy saves (one of them prodigious from Haaland’s header). But he can’t stop the ocean with the palm of one hand. The Norwegian did not forgive in an action traced shortly after the break and everything lit up for Guardiola’s boys, who managed the clock and the ball against a knocked out opponent.
Sunday’s day had another focus at Anfield, where Liverpool beat Nottingham (3-0) in a match that Colombian Luis Díaz missed because hours before his parents had been kidnapped in his country. His mother has already been rescued, but the whereabouts of his other parent are unknown. “It is a very difficult situation. How can you make a football match important on a day when this happens?” asked coach Jürgen Klopp after the game.
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