Ole’s best yet for first City double in ten years
BRUNO Fernandes usually puts his hands to his ears, but this time pressed his finger against his lips. Pep Guardiola was trying to rile him in the 85th minute and the United midfielder simply smiled and requested silence.
At City, they insist there was never any interest in Fernandes – another Portuguese tell-tale conjured up out of thin air.
Anthony Martial plucked a Fernandes free-kick out of thin air and the Frenchman pressed his finger to his lips in front of the K Stand. When Fernandes passed Guardiola three minutes later, all the City coach could hear was ‘Bruno, Bruno, Bruno.’
Eventually, Fernandes grabbed the game by the lapels, clipping a dead ball over a bewildered City defensive line for Martial to volley in, via the aid of Ederson’s flimsy palms.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer only has to think of Paris to recognise a false dawn, but this feels different. United are 10 unbeaten and have inflicted a Premier League double on City for the first time since 2009-10.
For the third time, the manager’s tactical acumen defeated Guardiola and the day was crowned by a local lad Scott McTominay pinging the ball into an unguarded net with the bend of Beckham.
Individually, and collectively, the United players beckoned the Stretford End to turn it up to 11. This was the standout performance not just of the season, but Solskjaer’s reign.
Daniel James was back in the form of his honeymoon period yet irked Fernandes on two notable occasions. Alexis Sanchez was not tactful in his criticism yet was a busted flush, and players of the ilk of Fernandes are cleansing the palette. City did not possess a craftsman to match him.
Each of Martial’s halves threatened to be remembered by his tentative right leg – firstly for not latching on to a blind crossfield pass by Aleksandr Zinchenko and then the half-hearted challenge on Ederson following his lapse from a back pass.
Solskjaer’s selections and replies on Thursday night were telling. McTominay – the only midfielder to complete 90 minutes at Derby in the FA Cup – was demoted to accommodate the more seasoned midfielders and Solskjaer touched upon the scarring experience of January’s Old Trafford derby, where United let in three goals in 21 first-half minutes.
That undeniably influenced his thinking and he got to play the four specialist midfielders together again for the end and McTominay finished the contest.
United have favoured a back three on four occasions against the Premier League top four this season.
Kevin de Bruyne’s absence was still significant enough to prompt a re-think on United’s respectful approach that will have bolstered City supporters’ sense of superiority.
Those shades of grey fade into the black-and-white of the final result. Managers live and die by these nuances and Solskjaer’s use of a defensive trident was vindicated when the Reds neutered Liverpool in October.
Jurgen Klopp’s men eventually breached United and City could not – Raheem Sterling still hexed by his boyhood club with David de Gea impregnable again.
For the second week running, the Reds attempted some kidology with their squad selection by having injury ‘doubts’ Harry Maguire and James rendezvous with the squad on the day of the game.
The Welsh winger left City knackered
and knackered himself with his willing running.
This was a more atmospheric derby and Nemanja Matic was a different beast across the white line, sparing Maguire’s blushes after Sergio Aguero nutmegged the United captain.
Fred, once of interest to City, excelled with his purposeful passing that offset the demotion of McTominay.
The Brazilian signalled to Aaron Wan-Bissaka on when to press and Fernandes was forthright in his advice for the mercurial Martial, rusty until the January signing woke him up by whacking him on the head.
Bob Paisley’s adage that football is a simple game complicated by idiots was never truer than when James hared at Nicolas Otamendi.
The Argentinian’s performances can be more appropriate for the circus and this was no exception – he was fortunate to be reprieved by the referee’s decision to book Fred for diving inside the area when there was decisive contact.
Brandon Williams and Phil Foden, representing Harpurhey and Stockport, were the only Mancunian starters and their duel was not as stirring as the one on the other flank between Sterling and Wan-Bissaka, his ‘spider’ tackles drawing celebratory applause from the Stretford End and his bullish manager.
Maguire preached calm amid the increase in pressure sparked by Guardiola’s double substitution, as the fixture began to mirror United’s resistance against Liverpool five months ago.
City had a goal disallowed, albeit by the linesman rather than the VAR. Williams was exposed by the witchery of Riyad Mahrez and replaced by Eric Bailly with 13 minutes remaining while Martial was subbed to leave the Reds strikerless.
‘United, United, United,’ the natives cried. McTominay turned up the volume by bending it like Beckham from a generous Ederson assist.
Fernandes joined in with the noise.