Man Utd vs Man City review: Player ratings and reaction as Solskjaer addresses future and Keane blames three
Man Utd 0 Man City 2 (Bailly 7′ og, B Silva 45′)
Manchester City piled more pressure onto Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after strolling to victory at Old Trafford with a superb display of passing football against rivals United.
A calamitous Eric Bailly own goal and Bernardo Silva’s strike on the stroke of half-time moved City to within two points of Premier League leaders Chelsea and will ensure there is plenty more speculation about Solskjaer’s future in the coming days.
United created the game’s first chance through captain Harry Maguire but were second best thereafter as their 3-5-2 system struggled to cope with a team that is clearly a class above.
Solskjaer hooked Bailly at half-time and switched to a back four but United could not get back into the game as City attackers Silva, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne ran the show.
The scoreline could have been so much worse and matched the embarrassing nature of the defeat were it not for a number of sharp saves from David De Gea in the United net.
Following a number of heavy defeats in recent weeks, including the 5-0 to Liverpool a fortnight ago, United’s board now must decide whether they are content to stick with a manager who looks incapable of matching his more esteemed rivals.
Analysis: United are nowhere in this title race
Solskjaer’s use of a back three failed to deliver against City (Photo: Getty)
By Daniel Storey at Old Trafford
It is at least logical that being more defensive would make your defence more solid. You pick an extra centre-back, sacrifice an attacking player and sacrifice any intent to press. When your midfield has been cut to ribbons by your fiercest rival in your previous home game, changing the system also offers the impression that the manager understands the severity of the situation.
But moving to a back three was never likely to be a magic solution to United’s ills. You cannot fake effective communication between defenders. You cannot play a defensive right-back at wing-back and expect him to cope without trouble. You cannot assume that you will be able to trouble your opponent on the counter attack without being able to pass to one another.
And sacrificing possession against arguably the best team in the world at patiently passing the ball until an opening appears only works if you don’t concede in the opening 10 minutes through a calamitous own goal. From that point on, the only question was whether Manchester City would pay for their profligacy and allow a response.
The big difference between Manchester United against Liverpool and Tottenham was not the shift in formation. It was that in one game United outclassed a team low on confidence under an under-pressure manager and in the other they faced a supposed title challenger and were blown away. And that’s exactly where United are under Solskjaer: top-six probables, top-four challengers, title nobodies.
Solskjaer: ‘I’m not worrying about my future’
Despite the growing pressure on his position, Solskjaer sounded unconcerned after this defeat and said he was focused on making sure United improve.
“We’ve got to get back to what we started to look like, and we started to look like a proper team at the end of last season, start of this season. We’ve got to get back to that,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports.
“I’m sure when we come back, the players will be fresh in their mind after internationals. The demands on me and the players are going to be high, the expectations. We need to get back to what we started to look like for a while, and we’ve got the players to do that.
“We’ve been in this situation a few times of course, since the last game we played here [against Liverpool] it has been a very difficult period. We need to be on the front foot more, I can’t look at myself and say this is the way I want Manchester United to play.”
Asked if he was starting to think he was living on borrowed time, he said: “No, I don’t start to do that. I have good communications all the time with the club, we’re very upfront and honest about the situation. I work for Man United and want the best for Man United and while I’m here I’ll do what I can to improve this, and that’s going back to what we started to look like.”
Man Utd player ratings
David de Gea: Made a number of superb saves to prevent City doubling their lead but will be really disappointed with his effort when they finally did, allowing Silva’s effort to sneak in at the near post 7
Victor Lindelof: Left marking fresh air for most of the game given City’s use of the false nine and nearly scored another own goal 3
Eric Bailly: Poor positioning and calamitous attempted clearance that went into his own net. Hooked at half-time for Sancho 3
???? "Eric Bailly felt he had to go for it – with catastrophic results"
Manchester City go ahead early against Manchester United thanks to an own goal…
Harry Maguire: Could have done better with early header at goal moments before City opened scoring, braver on the ball than some of his colleagues but sloppy defensively again 4
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: Looks uncomfortable in the wing-back role, often sat too deep and allowed Foden to dictate down his wing, while creating very little going forward 2
Luke Shaw: Good set piece delivery nearly created early Maguire goal and teed up Ronaldo chances but too often pinned back and was asleep for the second 4
Scott McTominay: Looked lost as Silva, De Bruyne and Gundogan pulled the strings in midfield and made very little impact on the game 3
Fred: Lacked positional discipline at times in face of superb City passing display and not good enough in possession 3
Bruno Fernandes: Gave Cancelo far too much room for cross that created Bailly own goal and was sloppy in possession. Quiet second half 3
Mason Greenwood: Didn’t see much of the ball but dropped deep to create at times. Could have stuck closer to strike partner Ronaldo. Replaced with 20 minutes left 5
Cristiano Ronaldo: Showed energy and pressured City’s defenders, provided United’s best chances with decent volley and shot when offside but a largely frustrating afternoon 6
Subs: Sancho (4), Rashford (5), Telles (5), Van de Beek (5)
Man City player ratings
Ederson: Regulation save to stop Ronaldo volley in first half but otherwise had little to do 6
Kyle Walker: Excellent cross to start move that led to opener and made some lively recoveries to halt United attacks 7
John Stones: Marshalled Ronaldo and distributed well from the back, often kickstarting City’s attacking moves. Nearly got on the scoresheet too 8
Ruben Dias: Quiet afternoon for a defender who looks comfortably a class above each of those in United’s back-line 7
Joao Cancelo: One of City’s most effective playmakers given United’s lack of attacking threat. Set up Silva’s goal with excellent cross and was a constant menace down the left 8
Ilkay Gundogan: Missed a good chance to score just before Bailly own goal but otherwise a key cog in superb City display 8
Rodri: Hassled McTominay and Fernandes on the rare occasions they saw possession and rarely gave the ball away. Solid and unflashy 8
Bernardo Silva: A lively runner between the lines and caused all sorts of problems wherever he popped up. Superlative display from player right back on top form 9
???? "A bizarre goal…"
Cancelo lifts what looks like a hopeful ball into the Man Utd penalty area and Maguire and Shaw switch off as Silva steals in at the far post to poke the ball home ????
Gabriel Jesus: Had best chance to double lead before City’s second and should have scored with goal gaping 7
Kevin De Bruyne: Ghosted around the midfield, creating chances and spooking defenders. Unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet 8
Phil Foden: Created problems for Wan-Bissaka and Bailly in his left channel and was big part of reason United were forced to switch system. Hit the post late on 8
Keane: ‘This was worse than 5-0 defeat to Liverpool’
Roy Keane looked more disappointed than angry at full-time – at how far his old club have fallen from glory and at the lack of fight shown by their players.
Despite shipping five goals to Liverpool a fortnight ago, United’s former captain felt this one-sided defeat was even worse.
????"This team just don't have the desire and fight."
“It felt worse [ than the defeat to Liverpool],” Keane said in the Sky Sports studio.
“Man City are a different type of team to Liverpool. They were quite happy just to keep the ball and they just toyed with Man United.
“It was so poor. The difference in class, quality and decision making, basically everything. I know the old saying is men vs boys, but United are so off it, it’s unbelievable.”
The biggest annoyance for Keane was the lack of desire shown by United’s players.
“When you are under the cosh, and United were under the cosh today, which is fine, but you stay in the fight,” he added.
“This team doesn’t stay in the fight. You go in today at one-nil down, okay it’s not ideal but you re-group as a team. You’re on the ropes but you keep swinging.
“This team just goes ‘oh, we’re up against it, we haven’t got the quality.’ I wouldn’t say they throw the towel in because that’s tough to throw at any team. They just don’t have that desire, that fight… you’ve got to stay in there.
“There’s one yellow card for United today. Now I’m not saying get seven or eight yellow cards – that doesn’t win you football matches – but it is a derby game. You have to show your quality but you also have to show some emotion.”
Souness: ‘United are a country mile away from fabulous City’
Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness, meanwhile, was full of praise for City but echoed Keane’s concerns about United.
“I thought Man City were fabulous throughout,” Souness said.
“They played in a controlled manner, the possession was fabulous and with the ball they were brilliant. It was a totally dominant performance.
“But if you are a United supporter or you are in the United dressing room right now that was a wake-up call and it’s a realisation that you are a country mile away from being a proper team.”
Keane: ‘These three are not good enough for United’
With the likes of Silva, De Bruyne and Foden running the show in midfield, Keane also felt there was a clear gulf in class.
“We go back to that I look for characters, he added. “Scott McTominay, who I know is learning his trade. Fred in midfield. These players are not good enough for Manchester United.
“Defensively, I wasn’t shocked when Eric Bailly sliced that into his own net. He’s got that in his locker. He’s erratic.
“It was so comfortable for Man City. They just toyed with Man Utd.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2YlcGcY
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