Filthy Fellaini steals the show
BELGIAN: SENT OFF AFTER HEADBUTTING AGUERO
City fail to pull the trigger as 96-minute derby ends goalless amid plenty of drama.
Marouane Fellaini was sent off for brainlessly headbutting Sergio Aguero as Manchester United’s Champions League push was frustrated in a 0-0 draw at Manchester City last night.
Booked for tripping Aguero in the 85th minute, Fellaini fouled him again seconds later and then blatantly butted the Argentinian, leaving referee Martin Atkinson no option but to send the Belgian off.
City remain fourth, a point behind third-place Liverpool with a game in hand, with United – who also have a game in hand on Jurgen Klopp’s side – a point further back in fifth place.
While United are now unbeaten in 24 Premier League games, equalling the club record, they squandered an opportunity to supplant City in the top four after a forgettable stalemate.
Despite controlling the game, City came no closer to scoring than an early Aguero effort that hit the post, while substitute Gabriel Jesus had an injury-time header disallowed for offside.
City also lost goalkeeper Claudio Bravo to an apparent calf injury, sustained as he caught a high ball, with Willy Caballero taking his place for the last 14 minutes after Bravo was stretchered off.
City remain on course for a topfour finish, their last remaining objective after last weekend’s FA Cup semifinal loss to Arsenal consigned Pep Guardiola to his first trophy-less season as a coach.
Jose Mourinho’s United could yet qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.
But in the main, yesterday’s drab derby served to illustrate why the Manchester rivals are scrapping over fourth place rather than fighting for the title.
With Paul Pogba injured, Mourinho aligned a conservative midfield trio of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Fellaini, setting the tone for a tetchy, attritional contest.
Marcus Rashford returned in one of four changes and while his lightning pace enabled him to leave Nicolas Otamendi for dead repeatedly, the teenager cut an isolated figure.
The football that managed to emerge above the midfield melee was almost all City’s.
Fellaini’s dismissal gave City the edge and Guardiola immediately introduced Jesus, back from a broken foot sustained in February. The Etihad erupted when the Brazilian headed in from Aguero’s cross, but an offside flag silenced the home fans and a stretching Aguero could only volley wide from De Bruyne’s cross moments later. – AFP