From the beginning, the match where both sides of Manchester went head-to-head lacked the usual intensity fans often expect from the famous rivalry. Less than a minute into the game, Manchester City’s Ruben Dias received a yellow card for a foul on Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, just outside the penalty area. Despite the early-on drama, the first half was pretty uneventful and was missing the action fans were hoping for despite efforts to score from Foden and Ilkay Gundogan. 

In the second half, things picked up a bit with a long-range strike from Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush. Manchester United’s goalkeeper, Andre Onana, was put to the test with a powerful 25-yard shot from Marmoush. Ultimately, Onana made an impressive save keeping both teams at 0. Then Manchester United’s substitutes, Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount, had a promising start to the derby. But despite their chances to score, Zirksee’s strike was shut down by City’s Enderson and Mount’s follow-up shot was blocked with neither side able to find a breakthrough.

Player Performances

One player from Manchester United stood out from the rest during Sunday’s match. The fantastic Bruno Fernandes is described as a player capable of both starting and finishing moves. His efforts to score and lack of support from his teammates did not go unnoticed, leaving fans to wonder if they’re relying on him to do it all while they just stand back and watch. In particular, Garnacho was disappointing after troubling Dias with an early run. While Hojlund didn’t even attempt to try for a shot before being substituted in the 71st minute, receiving a low rating of 3 and raising concerns about the striker's ability to live up to his £72 million transfer fee. The disappointing performances throughout the game have gained criticism from fans and former players. With Gary Neville describing the match as “robotic” and lacking in excitement, while Roy Keane shared similar views, calling out the lack of passion and intensity that the derby is known for. 

The End of an Era

Another player worth noting is Manchester City’s most advanced player, Kevin De Bruyne. Just 2 days after announcing he’ll be leaving the club this summer, De Bruyne left fans wanting to see more of him after his final derby performance with Foden, Marmoush, and Gundogan playing alongside him. United captain Bruno Fernandes took a moment at the end of the match to honour Kevin De Bruyne and the end to his decade-long stay at Ethiad saying “He made the Premier League better, if City is where it is and Man United have not won as many trophies in this period, it is also because of Kevin De Bruyne. Kevin keeps being world class and it was a pleasure to watch him so close and play against him. He is going to stay in the history of the Premier League, not just Man City.”

Final Thoughts

The disappointing derby match leaves Manchester City in fifth place with 52 points, missing their chance to overtake Chelsea in the Premier League standings. Manchester United continues to let down fans, remaining in 13th place with 38 points and further solidifying a season of inconsistency and underperformance. Both teams have issues that need to be addressed before the final matches of the season. For one, Manchester City should work to improve their offensive challenges, while Manchester United should reflect on their goal-scoring ability. 

It's worth noting that Manchester City’s legendary striker Erling Haaland will likely be sidelined for most of the run-in so Guardiola has to get more creative with City’s attack. This match was the most challenging for the team so far and Guardiola used a different approach, making four changes to his line-up and employing a midfield diamond. Perhaps the team’s lack of creativity and defense has something to do with the changes made since Haaland’s absence. Manchester City will no doubt see this failure as a missed opportunity and use this momentum to prepare for their upcoming match with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Despite the early yellow card for Ruben Dias and long-range strike from Omar Marmoush, the rivalry match between Manchester United and Manchester City left much to be desired. Although the few moments of drama had fans on edge for what was to come, the actual outcome was a match that fell a bit flat, especially for a derby. The draw leaves Manchester City in fifth place, still chasing a higher spot on the scoreboard, while Manchester United is left in the dust in 13th place. This highly anticipated match may not have been the spectacle fans had originally hoped for, but it leaves plenty of room for improvement as both teams head into their next matches!