As It Happened: Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City

Welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford.


The unbeaten Citizens sit eight points better off than their second-placed neighbours after a record-equalling run of 13-successive victories in the top flight.

United are unbeaten on home soil in 40 matches in all competitions, although their only defeat here under Jose Mourinho came at the hands of today's opponents early last season.

Follow all of the action as it unfolds with our extensive updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Young; Herrera, Matic; Rashford, Lingard, Martial; Lukaku

SUBS: Romero; Lindelof, Jones, Mata, McTominay, Shaw, Ibrahimovic

MANCHESTER CITY: Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Delph; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, D.Silva; Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane

SUBS: Bravo, Mangala, Danilo, Gundogan, B.Silva, Zinchenko, Aguero
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------













Manchester City move 11 points clear at the top of the table thanks to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Nicolas Otamendi scored the only goal of the second half to end the Red Devils' 40-match unbeaten run on home soil, while also making it a record-equalling 14 Premier League victories in a row for the Citizens. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!


90+4 min FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY

90+2 min Two of the four added-on minutes have now been played, with the ball deep in United's half. The hosts unable to win the ball back and spring one last attacking move, with Otamendi's volley looking like being the match-winning moment.

90 min MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Aguero is left frustrated, as Bernardo Silva is instead turned to for these closing moments. Leroy Sane, who has had a good game, is the man to make way. Four minutes have been added on here at Old Trafford.

88 min Ederson taking as long as possible over each and every goal kick now, with just a couple of minutes - plus around four added on - left to play. Very tense conclusion to the entertaining contest, as just the one goal separates the sides.

86 min SAVES! Unbelievable double stop from Ederson! The Brazilian kept out Lukaku from six yards, with the Belgian having to do much better, before quickly getting up to deny Mata from even closer range. City holding on now.

84 min MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! That was Herrera's last involvement in the match - and replays show that the yellow card probably was warranted - as Mata is turned to for the closing stages. All three changes now made by home boss Mourinho.

82 min PENALTY APPEAL! Big, big moment in the match as Herrera is cautioned for a dive inside the box. Minimal contact, but that was probably one of those where a yellow card was not deserved. Michael Oliver working overtime at the minute!

80 min SAVE! Another Fabian Delph error, again letting the ball sneak through for Marcus Rashford who is this time thwarted by Ederson. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been brought on for the final 10 minutes, taking over from Jesse Lingard.

78 min A whole host of niggling challenges now to help break up play. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has just been sent to warm-up for one final time, with Mourinho surely about to throw the Swedish striker onto the field alongside Lukaku in attack.

76 minYELLOW CARD! Silva is cautioned for, presumably, his challenge on Herrera. De Bruyne goes down with a facial injury to the frustration of the home fans, who know that time is now fast ticking towards the 90-minute mark.

74 min United definitely having more joy on the counter now compared to the opening 45 minutes or so, with City unwilling to just sit back and see out the win. Martial is left one-on-one with Otamendi, but he could not get a shot on target.

72 min SAVE! Rashford does indeed take on the free kick, despite Young being stood alongside him, and could only send the ball into the stanchion behind the goal. Up the other end City go, with De Bruyne's drive pushed aside by a full-stretch De Gea.

70 min Real end-to-end stuff at the moment, albeit with the attempts on goal few and far between. That may change, as Sterling has just given a free kick away 25 yards from goal in a good shooting position - Rashford the most likely to take it on.

68 min SHOT! Lukaku is desperate for a goal to make amends for his two earlier errors at the other end of the field. The Belgian with a rare chance to get a shot away, but his attempt from 22 yards ended high in the Stretford End.

66 min Guardiola must be tempted to throw on Aguero soon, even if his side do have a one-goal lead to protect. The visitors are enjoying some good openings on the counter, the latest of which Aguero would have pounced on from that cross across the face of goal.

64 min YELLOW CARD! The third caution of the afternoon is awarded to Rashford for dissent towards referee Michael Oliver. Some nice football from the visitors culminates in the ball being played across goal for Young to clear away.

62 min More than an hour now played at Old Trafford in this gripping Premier League tie. It has been a far more evenly-balanced second half on the whole, with league leaders City converting from the only real chance since the restart.

60 min MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Guardiola makes a second change of the afternoon, bringing on Mangala for Jesus, who has still yet to lose a Premier League match. Silva appears to have been put upfront, with Fernandinho back in midfield.

58 min Incredibly, that is now a couple of assists for Lukaku - at the wrong end of the field! The Belgian was also most at fault for Silva's opening goal, which came in almost identical circumstances. United half half an hour to respond here.

56 min City retake the lead at Old Trafford through an almost identical goal to their first! Lukaku with an horrific clearance from the set piece, booting it straight into a teammate and giving Otamendi the perfect chance to make it two goals in two league games from close range.

55 min GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY (NICOLAS OTAMENDI)

54 min Rashford crosses the ball into the middle, where Otamendi was waiting to clear it away. Up the other end, Lindelof showed good strength to usher his opponents off the ball, as both teams go in search of the game's third goal.

54 min Rashford crosses the ball into the middle, where Otamendi was waiting to clear it away. Up the other end, Lindelof showed good strength to usher his opponents off the ball, as both teams go in search of the game's third goal.

52 min Lingard beats his man, but he is unable to get a cross into the box where two teammates were waiting. Bar that one moment right at the end of the first half, we have already seen more from United this half in an attacking sense.

50 min The visitors probe away on the edge of the opposition box but the ball is sloppily given away, only for United's counter to break down early on. The Red Devils need to show far more attacking intent in the remaining 40 minutes of this match.

48 min City the side looking the more lively early in the second half. Both those half-time changes were likely enforced, incidentally, with Rojo suffering a facial injury in the opening 45 minutes and Kompany a big doubt ahead of the match.

46 min RESTART! We are back under way at Old Trafford, where both sides have made a half-time change. Vincent Kompany has been replaced by Ilkay Gundogan, with Fernandinho slotting into the backline, while Victor Lindelof is on for Marcos Rojo.


And breathe! An entertaining first half at Old Trafford comes to a close, with the sides level at one goal apiece. Manchester City have been by far the better team, dominating possession and finally making it count late in the half, but credit to Manchester United for taking their only real opening of the contest through Rashford.


45+5 min HALF TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 MANCHESTER CITY

45+4 min Just about the most undeserved goal you will see all season, yet all of a sudden City are pegged back! A cross into the box was missed by Otamendi and then Delph, allowing Rashford to blast past Ederson when left one-on-one - nice finish.

45+3 min GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-1 MANCHESTER CITY (MARCUS RASHFORD)

45+2 min SAVE! United finally commit some players forward, but City defend the cross and attack in numbers. De Bruyne wasted the chance to hurt the hosts, though, and then United countered the counter, with Martial's shot kept out by Ederson routinely enough.

45 min City have a deserved lead right on the brink of half time. De Gea initially produced a stunning save to help Sane's drive over the crossbar after the German attacker peeled away at the back post. From the corner, United struggled badly and Silva swept home the loose ball from close range.

44 min GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY (DAVID SILVA)

43 min "Attack, attack, attack!" is the cry from the home fans. City have seen 80% of the ball in the opening 43 minutes of the game and created the best chances, but it looks as though we will go into the half-time interval all square at 0-0.

41 min Silva slips the ball through for Sterling but, before the winger could settle himself, Young put out a leg to prod the ball away. Good defending to end City's latest attack, with the Citizens once again starting to build some momentum.

39 min A change of shirt and cleaned up a little, Rojo is now back on the field. Play resumes and, all of 10 seconds later, Jesus clips the heels of Martial to halt play once again. City's momentum has been completely killed off over the last five minutes.

37 min Rojo has been down receiving treatment for the last couple of minutes. The defender appears to have suffered a cut to his face, so Mourinho has sent Victor Lindelof out to warm-up. The Red Devils may be forced into a first-half change here.

35 min YELLOW CARD! Sterling exchanges passes with Silva inside the box but is unable to get a shot away. The referee just bringing things under control at the moment as this match is threatening to boil over following a serious of small challenges. Rojo cautioned.

33 min That space in midfield is enough for Otamendi's eyes to light up, as the centre-back brings the ball forward and makes a bit of a mess of his shot. Guardiola's men knocking on the door for a breakthrough goal on enemy territory.

31 min United's best moment of the match so far, which says a lot about their attacking play. A ball over the top gives Walker something to think about up against Lingard, but he won that personal battle by passing back to his goalkeeper.

29 min The Citizens continue to dominate this Manchester derby. All well and good for United at the moment, with the scoreline still goalless, but they need a goal more than their opponents and at the moment and are at serious risk of conceding.

27 min Fernandinho goes for goal, sending his shot high into the Stretford End. Difficult to see how Mourinho's approach is going to pay off at the moment, with his players dropping far too deep and City creating plenty of shooting opportunities.

25 min Kompany with a big challenge on Herrera, but he did get a slight touch to the ball so avoided a caution. Having seen a replay of the Jesus penalty incident, the referee got it right - Smalling barely touched the Brazilian forward.

23 min SHOT! Silva's deflected shot from an angle is gathered by De Gea at his near post - a third on-target attempt in the last eight minutes or so. Jesus appealed for a penalty after being challenged by Herrera, which Michael Oliver waved away.

21 min The pattern of the game clear to see right from the off; United happy to get every player back behind the ball and hit their opponents on the counter when they can. City, though, have already had a couple of decent openings to score.

19 min United with 21% of the ball in the opening quarter of the match and yet to register an attempt of any sort. The Red Devils did have a chance to counter a few moments ago, with Rashford's cross being easily collected by Ederson in the City goal.

17 min CHANCE! City starting to turn possession into chances now. So much space for Fernandinho to operate in, with Matic and Herrera focusing on De Bruyne and Silva. Jesus glides through and sends Rojo to the floor, but his shot was right at De Gea.

15 min SAVE! Technically a first save of the match, but De Gea did not really have to move to keep this one out. Sane's corner was deflected at the front post and stopped by the Spaniard. Sterling then linked up with Jesus and got a shot away that De Gea was again equal to.

13 min Walker is unhappy as Matic avoids being cautioned for a challenge that halted his run down the flank. Looked a clear yellow, particularly after Michael Oliver cautioned the English full-back in the opening stages of the match.

11 min United very much playing like the away side at the moment, which is not all that surprising based on Mourinho's tactical setup against the division's elite sides. The ball falls loose on the edge of the box for Fernandinho to hit it into a sea of bodies.

9 min Gabriel Jesus is picked out in a good position inside the opposition box, but his flick did not find a teammate. City with an incredible 81% of the ball in the opening nine minutes of the match, as we await the first shot at either end.

7 min YELLOW CARD! Kyle Walker is shown the game's first yellow card early on, making him an instant target for the United's wide players. Herrera is indeed man-making Silva, with the City midfielder currently drifting into wide positions.

5 min Man City the side playing the nicer football in the early stages. Nemanja Matic decided to go long a few moments ago, putting the visitors' backline under a little pressure, which may be a ploy we see a fair bit of this afternoon.

3 min Superb atmosphere being generated by both sets of supporters, with the magnitude of this fixture clear to see - or hear, as it is! Lingard, just to confirm, is the man closest to Lukaku in the United attack; Rashford and Martial out wide.

1 min KICKOFF! We are up and running at Old Trafford in arguably the biggest game of the Premier League season thus far. Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all dropped points this weekend - it is now down to Manchester United to keep the title race alive by inflicting a first defeat on Manchester City.

No comments

Post a Comment

Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)

Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com

© Copyright © 2023 NigerianEye.com | Your Online Nigerian Newspaper | All Rights Reserved