When Eric Bailly clumsily intercepted João Cancelo’s cross
to divert the ball into his own net, it was the start of another agonizing Old
Trafford encounter with a now far superior rival.
The only surprise from Saturday’s derby was United escaping
with a 2-0 loss to Manchester City after Bernardo Silva met another delivery
into the box from Cancelo, got ahead of Luke Shaw and beat goalkeeper David De
Gea at his near post in stoppage time
Humiliation was avoided, two weeks after being routed 5-0 by
Liverpool here, but it was another encounter to reinforce just how far United
has slipped behind the Premier League’s elite.
“We had the game of our lives,” City attacking midfielder
Phil Foden said. “Everything just went right. A lot of possession. A lot of
chances. We dominated from start to finish.”
This was City’s first Premier League win over United since
March 2019 but in that time Pep Guardiola’s side has won the title twice, while
the trophy hasn’t been on the red half of Manchester since 2013.
City and United do boast the world’s most expensive football
squads — each assembled for more than $1 billion — but that wouldn’t be obvious
watching in the lashing northern English rain.
On paper, six points now separate defending champion City in
second from United in fifth. The gulf in quality, tactics and style looks
greater, with City effortlessly cruising to victory.
It wasn’t Guardiola’s name City fans were singing at Old
Trafford. They were mercilessly mocking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“Ole’s at the wheel,” they serenaded the United manager,
sarcastically adopting the United fan song.
Solskjaer limps on in the job, with just one win from six
league games. The only success came last Saturday against Tottenham, which
acted swiftly to decide managerial change was required. And in firing Nuno
Espirito Santo and hiring Antonio Conte, the north London club snapped up a
potential replacement for Solskjaer.
The Norwegian couldn’t rely on being bailed out again by
Cristiano Ronaldo, whose double salvaged a Champions League draw at Atalanta on
Tuesday.
Instead Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as the lack of
intensity and pressing left him isolated up front. Only once did he come close
to scoring what would have been an equalizer in the 26th minute, with a
first-time volley from Ronaldo pushed wide by Ederson.
It electrified the crowd with the type of roar not heard
again until the rarely used Donny van der Beek was brought on in the second
half.
Boos, though, were once again the soundtrack of the home
crowd at Old Trafford. What could spare Solskjaer from losing his job during
the international break is that the fans are yet to chant against the United
striker-turned-underwhelming manager — yet. -AP
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