The Manchester Derby. Always a tight, fierce, keenly-contested affair. Today was sure to be no exception, especially with United looking to close the gap on the top four, and City needing a win to keep alive their fading title challenge.
United dropped Marouane Fellaini to the bench, replacing him with Morgan Schneiderlin, while young starlet Marcus Rashford was deployed up front. For City, Martin Demichelis was chosen alongside Eliaquim Mangala at the heart of the defence, with Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi both missing.
As perhaps expected, the game started off in a scrappy fashion, with neither side really creating much. It was the home side who had the first chance on seven minutes, Jesus Navas firing wide after good interplay involving Mangala, David Silva and Raheen Sterling.
It took ten minutes for the game’s first booking, Chris Smalling bringing down Sergio Aguero. Six minutes later United took the lead, and it was the young lad from Manchester Rashford who was celebrating after being found by Juan Mata, Rashford controlling well before shooting on the turn.
Jesse Lingard then set up Anthony Martial for a 20-yard effort that was beaten away by City keeper Joe Hart. City wasted a great chance to equalise on 22 minutes, Demichelis’ awful first-half continued by flashing a header wide.
The home side suffered a blow when Sterling was forced off with an injury, replaced by Fernando. On 33 minutes, Yaya Toure fired a shot only just wide as City kept up the pressure, before Navas had a shot deflected wide.
The injury jinx threatened to spread to United as Daley Blind collided with Aguero, but unlike Sterling earlier, the Dutchman shrugged it off.
Toure fired wide just before half-time, though City could have had a penalty as Mangala was having his shirt pulled. United could also have had a penalty as Rashford was brought down by Demichelis, capping the defender’s awful first-half. The referee waved away claims for a spot-kick.
At the start of the second-half, Demichelis was at it again. A short back-pass let in Martial, and Hart just denied the young Frenchman. However- the England keeper injured himself in the process. He was forced off, replaced between the sticks by Willy Caballero.
Demichelis’ horrendous day was completed as he was substituted for Wilfried Bony. The change seemed to galvanise the hosts, and Aguero headed against the post from a Toure cross.
Six minutes were added on at the end of the end, mainly due to Hart’s injury. City piled on the pressure but could not force an equaliser.
This win takes United to within a single point of fourth-place City.
By Steve Osborne       @BlizzardSteve75
