The Manchester Derby finished as expected. On Sunday, Manchester City thrashed their local rivals Manchester United in the derby match at Etihad Stadium. A win for the Citizens were expected considering their form and looking at the struggling of the Red Devils.
Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Manchester City reopened a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League by brushing aside Manchester United 4-1 at the Etihad on Sunday. Defeat for United opened up a 22-point gap between the clubs and is another blow to their chances of just qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Manchester City have 69 points from 28 games, with Liverpool on 63 from 27 matches.
The Citizens scored an early goal in the game through Kevin De Bruyne in the fifth minute as he put the ball past David De Gea when Bernado Silva passed the ball with a cutback.
But United did not look stunned when they conceded early. They were able to score the equaliser in the 15th minute when Jadon Sancho curled a shot into City’s post. It was the only delightful moment for the Red Devils in the game because City did not commit any more mistakes after conceding the goal.
In the 28th minute, the home team regained the lead through another brilliant goal from De Bruyne. The Belgian midfielder was a headache for United’s defence throughout the game.
In the second half, it was complete domination from the City players as they hold the away team tightly without giving any spaces. Along with that, they scored the third goal of the game. De Bruyne delivered from the corner kick, and Mahrez smashed the volley from the right top of the United box. The was no chance for United keeper De Gea. A hint of a deflection off Maguire did not help De Gea either. Mahrez has 12 goals in the last 13 games now, and it is another 20-goal season for the striker.
City finished off the game in the second-half stoppage time as Mahrez completed his brace. Mahrez has 13 goals in the last 13 games now, and it is another 20-goal season for the striker.
“The display was excellent,” Pep Guardiola said at his post-match press conference.
“We let them run a lot in the first half but we made an excellent performance. I am the biggest critic of my team, but today in the second half we played really good. We struggled to make a better build up [in the first half] but I don’t think they created much problems. We felt from the first minute of the second half that we had the game in hand.”
Ragnick admitted that the whole team was frustrated after the loss. He said: “[It is] frustrating for the players, for us because [after the third goal] we realised that it would probably be difficult to get back into that game. [It is disappointing] for everybody, not only for our supporters, for the players, for the whole staff, obviously you want to win a derby but we just have to admit that in the second half, especially after the third one, they showed what kind of top quality team they have. ”
