City beat United in Manchester Derby
Blue half wins derby
Manchester, Dec. 11: Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City moved 11 points clear at the top after a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in their derby clash on Sunday.
The victory means City are the first team to win 14 consecutive English top-flight games in the same season. The result ended United’s run of 40 home games unbeaten in all competitions.
City’s lead over secondplaced United means the title is now theirs to lose and, while Pep Guardiola’s side showed they have the grit as well as the class to come through the toughest challenges.
United struggled to get any of their forward players involved as City dominated possession.
Gabriel Jesus, playing as the lone central striker with Sergio Aguero on the bench, had an early opening but shot tamely straight at United keeper David De Gea, as did Raheem Sterling when he wriggled some space.
City’s dominance was rewarded in the 43rd minute although the breakthrough was not a product of clever passing but sloppy defending from United at a setpiece. Romelu Lukaku failed to clear Kevin de Bruyne’s inswinging corner and the ball fell to David Silva, who was played onside by Ashley Young. The Spaniard hooked the ball home.
Poor defending at the other end allowed United to get level before the break. Marcos Rojo hit a hopeful diagonal cross into the City box but Nicolas Otamendi misjudged a header, Fabian Delph hesitated and Marcus Rashford pounced on the loose ball and drove low past Ederson.
Poor defending cost United in the 54th minute. Silva’s free-kick should have been cleared by Romelu Lukaku, but instead the Belgian slammed a panicked clearance into the back of United teammate Chris Smalling and the ball looped towards Argentine defender Otamendi, who stretched to fire home the winner. —