MAKE MINE A TREBLE
City scrape through and now Pep’s on for three in a row
WHATEVER else happens to him this season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will end it having won twice at Manchester City. That fact in itself underlines just how strange the Norwegian’s reign at Manchester United is becoming.
What Solskjaer will not have is a place in the Carabao Cup final on March 1.
This was certainly one of United’s better evenings, a win to go with the one they registered here in the Premier League in December. They proved themselves doughty opponents in the face of Pep Guardiola’s more flamboyant City team. They certainly gave their great rivals a fright.
But after the horrors of the first leg at Old Trafford, Solskjaer’s team needed to win by two goals hereere to take the tie to penalties andnd they could onlyy manage one.
That came from the flashing left boot of Nemanja Matic in the 35th minute. It was United’ss only effort of any sort in the first half.
at the time that did not seem too matter because they were back in a tie that had seemed to be beyond them when they trailed 3-0 at half-time in front of their own fans at the start of the month.
In the end, though, it did matter. One of the great flaws — and there are many — of this poor United side is that they do not create chances. Not many teams do at City, of course, but United do not generally do so, whoever they play from the top division.
Here they ended the game with credit after a good performance but managed only two shots on target all night. When you are chasing a tie, that is just not enough and all of it cannot be put down to the absence of the injured Marcus Rashford. CCity looked less sure of themselves for a while and United might take sosome pleasure from that. GuaGuardiola’s team were rattled by Matic’s goal and for a period they lost control of the flow of the game. Only when Matic was sent off for a second booking with 15 minutes left did United’s latent threat disappear completely. City were able to play the game out in relative comfort and indeed looked the more likely scorers late in the piece. Earlier in the night, City had looked in total control, as expected. Guardiola — always a coach who has taken this competition seriously — fielded a strong team and twice in the opening eight minutes City could have scored.
Sergio aguero was the first player to be denied by David de Gea. The cross from the left by Ilkay Gundogan was played at an angle and with perfect trajectory. aguero — stealing round the rear of United’s back three — had time to measure his header and direct it back across De Gea. It was the right idea, but the keeper saved low with his right hand.
United were flat and unsure of themselves at this stage. To fall behind on the night would probably have been fatal. So De Gea’s next save, with his foot from a deflected Riyad Mahrez shot, was equally important.
City continued to be superior throughout the first half-hour without being as dangerous as in the early moments. Gundogan, aguero again and De Bruyne all threatened as United grew into the contest slowly.
They had destroyed City on the counter- attack earlier in the winter but were not playing with that kind of verve on this occasion. When they scored, it was from a set piece.
Jesse Lingard won a free-kick on the left and when Fred swung the ball in, it was headed away, only for Matic to drive it first time on the volley low to Claudio Bravo’s left and in off a post.
It was a superb, clean strike from the Serb and it changed the mood in the stadium.
Raheem Sterling did have the ball in the net before half-time but he was offside as he moved on to De Bruyne’s cross, then Bernardo Silva bamboozled Brandon Williams near the byline only to roll his cross into empty space.
City were suddenly a little cowed. United captain Harry Maguire headed another Fred free-kick over at the start of the second half as the home side lost their way briefly.
as Guardiola appealed for more crowd noise, Nicolas Otamendi played a pass into touch, then team-mate Kyle Walker allowed the ball to run under his foot and off the field.
For United, there seemed to be real opportunity, but they just weren’t good enough — dangerous enough — to take it.
City were vulnerable but were allowed to reassert themselves, Sterling erring when through on goal and substitute David Silva
17 THIS was Manchester City’s first loss in the League Cup in 17 games. Their previous defeat was 1,191 days ago in October 2016 and also came against Manchester United.
inexplicably choosing not to shoot when presented with the ball 10 yards out by a Maguire mistake.
Ultimately, Matic’s dismissal robbed United of a late cavalry charge and soon after Aguero was denied by an offside flag.
United had been good — for once — but it was not enough. Solskjaer must file this victory under ‘consolation’.