Match Report
07/04/2018
Paul Pogba scored twice within 97 seconds as Manchester United recorded a famous victory over their noisy neighbors to prevent City from clinching the Premier League in record time.
The stage was set. Blue Moon was clearly visible over the Etihad Stadium. Chants of Championees was audible from the sections of the crowd. Pep Guardiola would finally deliver the Premier League in record time since Manchester United’s 1999/00 season where United won the League with a record 18-point margin.
What followed was an extraordinary run of events in the 176th Manchester Derby. City needed to bounce back from their shocking 3-0 defeat at Anfield. Pep and his team knew that a victory over their bitter rivals will see them crowned Premier League champions.
But Mourinho was desperate to play the role of spoiler at the Etihad Stadium. And yet he did it perfectly as United scored, quickly added another and then added one more to record an emphatic victory to shock the crowd. United were 2-0 down, and in a matter of 16 second-half minutes United turned the game upside down with a scoreline of 3-2 to snatch away another famous away victory.
Yes, as a City supporter it was harsh to accept. City started the game brilliantly and established a possession game which pushed their rivals back towards their own goal. Raheem Sterling spearheaded the City attack, joined by Leroy Sane and Bernardo Silva on the flanks. Sterling showed signs of promise, as he troubled Ashley Young with his energetic runs towards the box. Raheem Sterling ignited the spark on the 22nd minute, when he steered a low ball into the feet of Bernardo Silva, who slid past to make a decent contact with the ball, before being denied by David De Gea. United were being pressed time and again by the City attack. City were 1-0 up on the 25th minute, when they won a corner down the left flank and Sane whipped a cross into the box only to be headed by City skipper Vincent Kompany, who despite being pulled by Chris Smalling managed to get a strong head before even De Gea could react. The Old Guard of City rose to the occasion to score a captain’s goal to set the crowd on their feet.
Five minutes later, City had their second. De Gea put United in a world of trouble with a poor clearance. Leroy Sane broke to the edge of the box before being felled. The referee played an advantage and allowed Sterling to feed Ilkay Gungogan, who turned his way past Nemanja Matic in the box with a neat piece of skill before burying his effort past the United keeper.
The Etihad Stadium was rocking, as United were on the ropes, with their rivals in full flow. City were just 45 minutes away from the Premier League crown.
United started showing signs of promise into the second half as they had decisive runs towards the City defence. Nicolas Otamendi looked in particular troubled and Vincent Kompany misplaced pass almost opened up United, before Fernandinho cleared the ball.
Gundogan, with all his confidence from scoring his first goal, hit the woodwork on the 51st minute.
Paul Pogba got one back on the 53rd minute, as United are back in the game as he lifted the ball into the net. United’s build-up was well crafted down the right flank, as Sanchez got past Otamendi before crossing Herrera. The Spaniard chested the ball forward for Pogba, as he drove the ball over the on-rushing Ederson into the net. Game on!
Just two minutes into that game, the Frenchman was at it again. Incredible scenes at the Etihad Stadium as Pogba, notches his second in two minutes to draw United level. He made a late run forward into the box to latch on to Alexis Sanchez’s cross and managed to guide a low headed effort into the bottom corner. The game has been turned on to its head. Sir Alex Ferguson was on the stands, as he looked elated. It remembered of those days when Sir Alex made a habit of these kind of sensational recoveries. As a football fan, I was impressed. United came onto the second half with a stronger intent.
I knew the match was over for City as they failed to regain their rhythm since the break. Still I managed to stay calm and optimistic for the remaining 30 minutes. I could see Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus, all warming up. Seeing them I still had some faith in the match, as it gave me a hint of Aguero and Edin Dzeko managing to score two goals in a title winning thriller against QPR in 2012.
Danilo caught up Sanchez late on the left flank and United had a free-kick in a threatening position. Yes, United had made a complete turnaround. Chris Smalling found the net, as Sanchez lifted a pinpoint delivery into the box for Smalling to attack. The away ends were in raptures, as it sent the whole City crowd in silence on the 69th minute.
A double substitution followed up for City on the 72nd minute as Jesus replaced Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne replaced David Silva. Aguero replaced Gundogan on the 74th minute, as he was cheered up some remaining optimistic City fans including me.
There was a huge controversy as Sergio Aguero was denied a penalty following an aggressive challenge by Ashley Young, but United held on.
The derby showed it’s real colors when the game was boiling as Otamendi and Pogba got onto an altercation following a wild challenge on Otamendi by the Frenchman.
Towards the end of the match, City had some tasteful chances of equalizing, but was denied by De Gea.
Digitized Thoughts 