MAN UNITED 1 MAN CITY 2 PEP READY TO RUMBLE
First blood to City boss in battle of Prem heavyweights BIG MATCH VERDICT It’s four Mour for Jesse Jose sneers Bravo, ref’
JOSE MOURINHO had been adamant about it – there was only one fight in Britain this weekend.
That was Kell Brook’s clash with Gennady Golovkin and not, he reckoned, the resumption of his on-running battle with Pep Guardiola.
Only Guardiola obviously hadn’t received the memo.
He hadn’t been told that this wasn’t a prize fight between the Premier League’s heavyweight managers.
And with Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho in his corner, it was the Spaniard who landed the knockout blow.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a martial arts and boxing fanatic, did catch his former Barcelona coach on the chin with a thudding blow late in the first half that wobbled him and his Manchester City side for a period before and after the break.
But despite Manchester United moving up through the gears following the interval, when Mourinho switched styles, City stood their ground and the good work they had done in those early rounds had them far enough ahead on the scorecards to secure the victory.
So first blood, on these shores at least, to Guardiola against his old sparring partner. And it was the Spaniard who stood, arms aloft, at the final whistle while the Portuguese shook his head and wondered what might have JESSE LINGARD is on the verge of signing a new four-year contract at Manchester United – despite criticism from boss Jose Mourinho yesterday.
The 23-year-old midfielder’s terms are being finalised by lawyers and he hopes to sign very soon. The extension is a been had referee Mark Clattenburg given his side the two penalties the United gaffer, and the majority of the 75,000- plus supporters inside Old Trafford, felt they deserved.
Guardiola, who has now won eight of his 17 meetings with Mourinho – his sides scoring 30 goals and conceding 19 over the years – wouldn’t be drawn on those decisions.
And why would he be drawn on those flash points, in fairness, once victory had been assured.
Far better to be humble about getting one over his old adversary.
Mourinho, for his part, was philosophical in defeat.
Although he didn’t pull any punches when he criticised Clattenburg over those penalty decisions and major boost for Lingard (right) and shows the faith Mourinho and the club have in him.
He had been in talks with the club but they were put on hold while Louis van Gaal’s exit and Mourinho’s arrival were sorted out.
The derby was Lingard’s first game since injuring his foot in the Community Shield. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard will be feeling black and blue at the criticism levelled at them. The United boss didn’t name them publicly, but the fact they were both hooked at half-time of the 172nd Manchester derby spoke volumes for him. While the atmosphere in these games is always lively there was no doubt there was an added spice in the air given the involvement of these two managerial greats. Mourinho appeared first from the tunnel, his staff, like belt carriers, falling in behind him and following his lead down the touchline to the dug-out.
Paraded
City’s substitutes were close behind the United manager, too, and it looked as if he had with him the largest of entourages. The question was whether Guardiola was part of the throng or not and, as it turned out, he disappointed with the first half and some really poor individual performances that affected the team.
“I was also disappointed with two very important decisions from Mark Clattenburg that were against us.
“I know the rules of the game and you also know the rules of the game. It is obvious that it is a penalty and a red card to Claudio Bravo for his wasn’t. He had waited aited behind long enough for thehe touchline to clear and, in a move that was Mourinho- likeke in its execution, Guardiolaardiola paraded along the touchline like a champion boxer on his ring walk – head up, chest out, taking in all the boos.
It was a “bringg it on” statement – and nd unlike Mourinho,o, who offered a smile,le, he was poker-faceded as they greeted each ch other with a handshake. challenge on Waynee Rooeny.
“If he’s outside the box it is a direct free-kick andd a red card. Inside the box it’s more difficult because referees are human,n, and they think twice because it’s a big decision.
“Some will say thee Nicolas Otamendi handball is not a penalty.nalty. I say it is 100 per cent, because he tries to stop the cross going across thehe face of the goal. He knows what Rooney’soney’s doing.”