Manchester City 0 Manchester United 2: City player ratings as City are well beaten in the Manchester derby | OneFootball

Manchester City 0

Manchester United 2 (Bryan Mbeumo 65′, Patrick Dorgu 76′)

Here are the City player ratings as Manchester City have gone down to disappointing 2-nil defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Michael Carrick’s side deserved their victory and Pep Guardiola’s side put in their most disappointing display for the season. There were no real positives to take from the match for Manchester City. The City player ratings reflect this as City wilted in the face of Manchester United’s pressure. Today’s result could be a hammer blow to Manchester City’s bid to haul in Arsenal. There is no other way to put it after Manchester City’s defeat in the 198th Manchester derby.

Matheus Nunes didn’t feature today due to the flu and his loss was felt by Pep Guardiola’s side. But that is no excuse for the performance that City put up in such a big game.

First half.

Manchester City put in one of their poorest first half displays of the season at Old Trafford. Manchester United were up for the occasion, as evidenced by robust challenges put in by Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot on Rodri and Jeremy Doku, which saw them both booked. In the case of Dalot, he was lucky not to be sent off for a dangerous challenge on Doku in the game’s 10th minute.

In terms of chances, Manchester United created the better openings in the first half. Harry Maguire hit the bar in the third minute with a header from a corner, which he met at the back post. Maguire’s header cannoned off the crossbar with Donnarumma beaten. Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes had goals ruled out for offside in the 21st and 41st minutes. Both calls were tight, but they were correct. It was a warning for Pep Guardiola’s side, as you did sense that eventually Michael Carrick’s side would get in behind Manchester City’s high defensive line at some point. Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Patrick Dorgu with a smart save from close range in the 22nd minute.

Manchester City’s only real chance of the first half fell to Max Alleyne. Phil Foden played a corner to the back post in the 37th minute, which Nathan Aké headed back across goal. Alleyne got a header on target, but a combination of desperate defending from Diogo Dalot and a sprawling United keeper Seene Lammens kept Alleyne’s header out.

All told, Manchester City were poor in the first half. Manchester United were up for the occasion, and Pep Guardiola’s side hadn’t matched their intensity. Despite City dominating possession, they would have to raise their game in the second half to come away with three points against a determined Manchester United side.

Second half.

Pep Guardiola brought on Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly for Phil Foden and Max Alleyne at halftime in a bid to add some life to his team’s play. As the second half began to take shape it was continuing to continue in a similar vein to the first half.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a superb double save in the 57th minute to keep the score at nil-all. First, he denied a curling strike from Amad Diallo from the left-hand side of the City area with a quality diving save. Manchester United midfielder Casemiro got to the rebound, and somehow Donnarumma denied the Brazilian midfielder’s chip from around two yards from goal.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made an even better save in the 62nd minute to deny Bryan Mbeumo. Bruno Fernandes picked out Mbeumo with a quality cross from the right wing, which the Cameroon international met with a volley. Donnarumma denied Mbeumo’s strike with a fantastic save to once again keep United out.

Manchester United take the lead.

But Donnarumma’s heroics would be to no avail. Manchester United would take the lead in the 65th minute. Pep Guardiola’s side had a free kick in a dangerous position, but Cherki’s delivery into the United area was cut out. Manchester United’s clearance created a counterattack for Michael Carrick’s side. It was a four-on-two advantage to United on the break, and after making a driving run Bruno Fernandes slipped in Bryan Mbeumo to his left from just outside the City area. Mbeumo beat Donnarumma with a quality left-footed finish to give Manchester United a deserved lead. It was now up to Manchester City to respond, and they desperately needed to.

Manchester United doubled their lead in the 76th minute. Matheus Cunha played a cross from the right wing into a dangerous position in the City area. Rico Lewis went to sleep, which allowed Patrick Dorgu to ghost in and get to the ball first, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma with a smart finish to double Manchester United’s lead. In truth, it was what City deserved for putting in such a listless performance.

Manchester United had a third goal ruled out for offside in the 92nd minute. Once again, Michael Carrick’s side scythed through Manchester City’s high defensive line, and Matheus Cunha set up Mason Mount for a tap-in. However, Matheus Cunha had strayed offside in the build-up, and the goal was chalked off.

The final whistle put Manchester City out of their misery. City fell to a 2-nil defeat in what was by far Pep Guardiola’s side’s most disappointing performance of the season. Manchester United deserved their victory and perhaps should have won by more. From a Manchester City point of view, to serve up that type of performance in a derby is unacceptable, and they got what they deserved at Old Trafford.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-9/10: The Italian international was by far and away the best Manchester City player on the pitch. He made several stunning saves and the disappointing part of Manchester City’s display was that no one followed his lead.

Rico Lewis-4.5/10: Like many of his teammates Lewis wasn’t at his best throughout the match. He was also caught out for Patrick Dorgu’s goal which summed up his day.

Abdukodir Khusanov-7.5/10: Manchester City’s best outfield player by some distance. Khusanov made a host of key challenges and Manchester City’s defeat doesn’t lie at his feet.

Max Alleyne-5/10: Alleyne looked like the occasion got to him in the game’s opening stages. He got better after a nervous start but was taken off at halftime. 

Nathan Ake-4.5/10: He was exposed at left-back and he wasn’t at his best at centre-back. 

Rodri-5/10: Manchester City’s midfield general looked rusty and badly out of touch. The game passed him by which showed how far he still has to come to get back to his best.

Bernardo Silva-5/10: Manchester City’s captain toiled away but he wasn’t at his best. 

Antoine Semenyo-5/10: He tried to create for his team but was often crowded out of the game.

Phil Foden-4/10: Foden was barely sighted in the first half and was taken off at halftime. Not Foden’s best performance at all.

Jeremy Doku-5/10: He toiled away out wide but didn’t offer a lot like many of his teammates. 

Erling Haaland-4/10: A poor performance from Haaland. He had no service to feed off of and he looked flat throughout the match.

Substitutes.

Rayan Cherki-5/10: Cherki tried to create for his team but he couldn’t get into the game.

Nico O’Reilly-5/10: Was booked almost immediately after coming on at the start of the second half. He toiled away.

Tijjani Reijnders-N/A: -Not on long enough to mark.

Divine Mukasa-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.

Rayan Ait-Nouri-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.