Live Commentary: Manchester United 1-0 Manchester City


Hello, and welcome to Nigerianeye's live coverage of the EFL Cup encounter between Manchester United and Manchester City.


Just 46 days on from the last time the two North-West rivals locked horns at Old Trafford, it is time for the second instalment as both clubs bid to reach the quarter-finals.

Jose Mourinho witnessed his United side succumb tamely against Chelsea on Sunday and a repeat performance will be considered out of the question when his players take to the pitch on Wednesday night.

As for Pep Guardiola, he is without win in five games in all competitions and while his team remain top of the Premier League table, he will be aware that it is imperative that he gains a second successive triumph over the club's near neighbours.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS


MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea, Valencia, Rojo, Blind, Shaw, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Pogba, Rashford, Ibrahimovic

MANCHESTER UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Romero, Darmian, Fellaini, Schneiderlin, Lingard, Depay, Young


MANCHESTER CITY: Caballero, Maffeo, Otamendi, Kompany, Clichy, Fernando, Aleix Garcia, Nolito, Jesus Navas, Sane, Iheanacho

MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Gunn, Gundogan, Sterling, Aguero, Adarabioyo, Fernandinho, Kolarov

















9.55pmThe full-time whistle goes at Old Trafford and United comfortably hold on for a narrow 1-0 win over their City rivals, who ended the match without registering a shot on target. It's the first time that has happened since April 2012. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!


90+4 min FULL TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Manchester City

90+1 min BOOKINGS! Pogba goes into the book for a rash challenge on Maffeo and Ibrahimovic follows him for attempting to waste some time. Both needless.

90 min There will be four minutes of added-on time.

88 min As we enter what could prove to bethe closing stages, a quick word for City's two youngsters Maffeo and Garcia - they have arguably been two of the better players. Garcia hasn't looked out of place against Carrick, Herrera and Pogba.

84 min The visitors are pushing and probing but still they await their first shot on target. Rojo and Blind get criticised at times but they have been solid tonight. They have done everything asked of them by Mourinho.

81 min SUBSTITUTION! Rashford has put in another good shift but it's time for a rest as Lingard comes on. Nine minutes to go at Old Trafford.

78 min City thrown men forward but they soon find themselves turned around as Ibrahimovic releases Rashford down the right. He tries to find the advancing Pogba but the defender gets back to concede a corner.

77 min United are doing a very good job in helping the clock run down. They are preventing City get anywhere near De Gea's goal and when they do get in possession, they are using it efficiently. The visitors still have 13 minutes to change that, however.

73 min SUBSTITUTION! Mourinho finally makes his first move on the bench and replaces Mata with Morgan Schneiderlin, who we have barely seen this season.

71 min The only positive from that abysmal attempt is that he was marginally closer than his previous effort. Very poor from the Serbian. It's Aguero time as he replaces Nolito.

69 min Sterling earns a very cheap free kick on the edge of the area but it's enough to give Kolarov a chance from 30 yards. Can he find a bit of magic in that left boot?

66 min City have only got one more change up their sleeve and it surely has to be Aguero. De Gea hasn't made a save all match. United look more likely to double their lead than City get back on level terms.

63 min A two-minute spell of possession for City ends with a 35-yard strike from Kolarov which goes a mile over the crossbar. What a waste of time. On comes Sterling for Sane.

60 min City have definitely not got the rub of the green over the past few minutes. Navas should have been given a free kick after a foul by Shaw and the Spaniard was then unfortunate not to earn a corner.

57 min This is the sixth game in a row where City have gone a goal behind. They are yet to overturn the deficit. Might be time to call on the cavalry...

54 min United take the lead and Mata is the man who has got it. However, should City have been awarded a foul? Ibrahimovic's ball was intended for Herrera but he decided to shoulder-barge the defender to allow the pass to run through to Mata, who made no mistake from eight yards as he slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

54 min GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Manchester City (Mata)

51 min Before that, Iheanacho had wasted the chance to play Nolito in on goal. He waited too long and his end pass not only lacked pace, his teammate had strayed into an offside position.

49 min CHANCE! United should be ahead and City have Caballero to thank for a wonder save. Ibrahimovic deceives Pogba around 30 yards out before playing in Pogba and it appears likely he will find the bottom corner. However, Caballero flings out a hand to tip the ball onto the post and it rebounds clear.

46 min United get us back underway. Big half coming up.



The half-time whistle goes at Old Trafford and a drab 45 minutes finally comes to an end. City have had the better chances when they have arrived but as the scoreline suggests, it's a very even game. It can only get better in the second half...



45+1 min HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City

45 min There will be one minute of added-on time.

43 min This game is finally opening up but the bigger surprise is that Mata has just won two headers in a row. You can see he is desperately looking to prove his worth to Mourinho.

40 min Back up the other end and City have a similar chance through Iheanacho after being found by Nolito. However, like Rashford, he is indecisive and ends up seeing a shot blocked by Rojo. It's not been his night so far.

37 min An outstanding through-ball from Ibrahimovic finds Rashford but the young forward is in two minds whether to shoot or to pass and he ends up doing neither as he's dispossessed by Otamendi. United eventually won a corner but it came to nothing.

34 min Despite the calibre of players on show, this has been a very low-quality game. Some may be too eager and some are plainly out of form. This game desperately needs a goal but I'm not sure where it is going to come from.

30 min We are through 30 minutes at Old Trafford and the most entertaining moments have revolved around the yellow cards. It's been that kind of game although both teams are giving it everything.

26 min BOOKING! We've already seen the harshest booking of the season. Now we have seen the easiest booking. Valencia goes chasing a ball he is never going to get and he takes out Fernando who beat him to it.

23 min It's a terrible effort from the great Swede but it is deflected wide for a corner. The cross from Blind goes all the way to the back post and it evades everyone. That was a waste.

21 min United finally stick four or five offensive-minded passes together and it ends with Mata winning a free kick just under 30 yards out. Ibrahimovic is standing over it...

20 min We have barely seen anything of United in the final third. They are doing a lot of chasing and attempting to use the flanks to get Rashford and Mata involved but they are yet to get a shot on Caballero's goal.

17 min After Nolito wins the ball in midfield, City break in numbers but the Spaniard's attempted pass to Clichy lacks pace and Mata is able to track back to clear the ball.

I'm still trying to process that booking for Iheanacho...

13 min BOOKING! This is so harsh on Iheanacho. While attempting to make a challenge, he has slipped and upended Blind. It's completely accidental but referee Mike Dean has decided to book him!

11 min Did Aleix Garcia have claims for a penalty here? He got in front of Carrick and out-muscled the veteran but despite his legs being clipped on the by-line, the referee only ruled for a goal kick.

8 min Aside from that early Iheanacho chance, we are yet to see any efforts on goal. In fact, I'm not too sure either goalkeeper has touched the ball in open play. City are dominating the possession so far but it's not being kept at the back.

5 min I'm still trying to work out whether City are playing three at the back or four. It's difficult to tell because they are attempting to squeeze the play every time the ball comes near Ibrahimovic. Kompany is all over the back of him.

2 min CHANCE! United fell behind after 30 seconds on Sunday and they nearly conceded a goal after 68 seconds here. A superb cross from Navas finds Iheanacho no more than a few yards out but he mis-times his diving header and it goes over the crossbar. Should be 1-0.

1 min We are underway at Old Trafford.

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