Two players were head and shoulders above their teammates for Manchester City in their derby defeat | OneFootball

Manchester City slumped to a disappointing and listless 2-nil defeat to Manchester United yesterday at Old Trafford. The loss came after one of the worst performances from a City side during Pep Guardiola’s tenure as manager. City were poor from the opening whistle yesterday, as they slumped to a damaging defeat in a match they desperately needed to win, given it was a derby and crucial to City’s Premier League campaign. Coming out of the game, only two City players emerged with any credit: Gianluigi Donnarumma and Abdukodir Khusanov. Without them, Manchester City would have been beaten by a bigger scoreline than 2-nil.

Gianluigi Donnarumma and Abdukodir Khusanov did all they could to keep Manchester City in the game.

Throughout yesterday’s match  Gianluigi Donnarumma and Abdukodir Khusanov did all they could to keep their team in the game. It speaks volumes that Manchester City’s best performing players were their goalkeeper and a centre-back. City were poor and Manchester United thoroughly deserved their victory yesterday. But at least Donnarumma and Khusanov put their hands up to be counted yesterday.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a string of important saves to keep the game at nil-all until Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring in the 65th minute. The Italian international showed why City were so keen to sign him as he made a host of impressive saves. His fantastic saves in the second half had the potential to lift his team, but it wasn’t to be. There was no fault attached to Donnarumma for either of Manchester United’s goals, and on another day, and if his teammates lifted, his saves may have been crucial.

Abdukodir Khusanov busted his gut in Manchester City’s defence at Old Trafford. He made several crucial interceptions and blocks as his pace and strength stood out across yesterday’s match. Khusanov’s performance was all heart, and he showed why he is regarded as one of the brightest young centre-back projects in Europe. Like Donnarumma, Khusanov has no blame attached to him for what transpired at Old Trafford. If only his teammates had followed his example in the 198th Manchester derby.

Final thoughts.

It is hard, if not impossible, to find any positives to come out of yesterday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United from a Manchester City point of view. The only two I found were the performances of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Abdukodir Khusanov. The pair gave their all at Old Trafford, and it is a great shame that their teammates couldn’t follow their lead. Yesterday’s defeat to Manchester United was a tough result to take. It is a game that City must move on from quickly. Perhaps if the City squad follows the example that Donnarumma and Khusanov set yesterday, they’ll quickly turn around their Premier League form.