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The City of Manchester has been painted blue again. A fixture in which the home side has struggled to win over the past 4 years saw that record being struck off as Pep Guardiola's men left the Red Devils bleeding with their swashbuckling style of football.
Manchester United's dugout spirits were perhaps hampered by the absence of their main craftsman Paul Pogba who sustained an injury from the Champions League match against Juventus. Having set up his team defensively, Jose Mourinho saw his team concede 3 goals that could very well have been avoided on another night.
It was David Silva who scored the opener for the Cityzens in the 12th minute as Manchester United's defence caved under the early spell of pressure that the vibrant City attackers levied on them. Sergio Aguero extended City's lead early in the second half with a thunderous strike although he'll count himself lucky to have beaten David de Gea at his near post.
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Manchester United teased a comeback as Lukaku won a penalty in great parts thanks to an overly adventurous Ederson. Anthony Martial converted from the spot but United's comeback train was derailed by City in the 86th minute by a goal that took 44 passes to construct.
It was a Manchester derby that wasn't short on excitement and let's not waste another minute and dive right in:
#5 Manchester United switched off in the early minutes once again
The whole of the first 12 minutes was just the lead up to that opening goal from Manchester City. United were being outplayed and outclassed. Ander Herrera who, at first, looked to be man-marking David Silva looked all over the place and all their players, though lodged up inside their defensive third, was still affording room to the Cityzens to ping the ball around.
Consequently, Sterling whipped a dangerous looking ball into the danger area and the United defenders let it run past them. Bernardo Silva sent it back across the face of goal and David Silva could hardly miss from 5 yards out.
After the goal was conceded though, it looked like an equal game as Manchester United put together some moves of their own even though they hardly ever looked like troubling Ederson.
In the second half, it was a poor kick from de Gea that set City off. Lingard failed to bring the ball under control and having won the ball near the halfway line, Pep's men ran at the United defence that was backpedalling like toddlers by the shore at sunset.
Aguero connected well but David De Gea should be saving that all day long. Manchester United need to remain alert through the entirety of the 90 or they'll concede cheap goals against top quality sides that barely need an invitation to ripple the netting.
#4 Manchester City's well-rounded attack was always too much for this United defence
Despite the absence of creator-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and with Leroy Sane warming the bench, Manchester City had enough quality on the pitch to tear the shaky Manchester United defence to shreds.
Sergio Aguero has often proved to be a game changer in this fixture over the years and he got on the scoresheet once again. Barring Mahrez, all of City's attackers were running riot from the get-go.
Though United did well to not afford City many chances over the course of the game, the quality that the Cityzens have in their side was enough to put the result beyond any doubt.
David Silva could be controlling their midfield for 2 or 3 more years the way he's going. Bernardo Silva is turning into absolute menace and Sergio Aguero will quite possibly retire as a club legend. And that's simply because they show up and deliver on big nights such as this.
#3 Manchester United are a mess defensively
It's simply not good enough. Victor Lindelof has shown signs of improving but this Manchester United defence has already conceded 21 goals this season. Before tonight, they had conceded 18. Last season, it took them 25 games to concede 18 goals.
In fact, Manchester United only conceded 28 goals last season. They've already conceded 3/4th as many goals as the entirety of the 2017-18 season in 1/3rd the number of matches. The deterioration is tragic, to say the least.
Manchester United have plenty of attacking talent. But they are simply being overburdened thanks to the underwhelming defensive performances. Nemanja Matic, who often slots into the backline was at fault for City's goal that essentially ended the game.
Matic just watched the cross sail over him and continued to stand in the centre of the box as Gundogan brought it down and slotted it home about 2 yards away from him.
The Serb is starting to show his age and Mourinho needs to sign a centre-back and a top-quality defensive midfielder to shore up his defence or rescue missions will become the norm at Old Trafford.
#2 Manchester City show great character to diffuse a United resurgence
Ultimately, Manchester City proved that they have learnt from their mistakes by coming up with a mature performance in the second half. Manchester United's goal was down to an individual mistake by Ederson. A miscalculation, to put it lightly.
The recent trend would suggest that United were going to throw everything at City to see what sticks but as opposed to the other teams that the Red Devils have come up against so far this season, Pep's side had the ability and the tactical acumen to keep the proceedings under control at all times.
Since their goal, United hardly ever ventured into the City box. Fernandinho was solid in the centre once again and his reading of the game will be sorely missed whenever he chooses to retire no. 25 jersey.
This piece of stat is perhaps a better indicator of the kind of control that City had over the proceedings even in the dying embers of the game.
#1 Paul Pogba is Manchester United's most important player
Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford make up an exciting front 3. But Lingard, who only recently returned from injury looked off the pace and was, at one point, outrun by Fernandinho who has got 8 years on him.
Behind that backline, however, was the nearly static Fellaini and Matic. Ander Herrera had a shocker. He gave away possession far too easily and his passing was all over the place. Nemanja Matic had a shaky outing and he was clearly at fault for the goal that took the game away from Manchester United.
Marouane Fellaini put in a good shift but his attacking game leaves a lot to be desired. In the absence of Paul Pogba, Manchester United hardly ever looked like a threat on the counter. Without his passing and movement, the Red Devils are over-reliant on the pace of Marcus Rashford and Martial who always end up being isolated on either side of the pitch.
Martial's goalscoring form continues although the goal came from the spot and he wasn't at his best. But it's important that he got the goal as that will keep his confidence up.
But the most important talking point from the game is that over the course of 90 minutes, it became more and more evident that Paul Pogba is Manchester United's most important player and they need to make him stay at Old Trafford by hook, line or sinker.
