Amad Writes Derby History! | Man City vs Man Utd

A-City united in its love of the game. The industrial clank of Manchester falls silent. Tools downed, glasses raised. It is time for the derby. It is Manchester where they score goals that make souls leap from their seats in the stands. Manchester United entering the cauldron of their nearest and dearest against a Manchester City team that has shone so brightly for so long, but now going through their most difficult spell. Pep Guardiola has made more alterations to his starting lineups this season between Premier League games than any other manager. Three changes today from the side that started at Crystal Palace last weekend. There is a returning goal for Ederson, who also played in the Champions League in midweek. Stefan Ortega had started the last three league matches. No Rico Lewis today. He is suspended. Walker Diaz Guardiola will play behind the midfield of Ilkay Gundogan and Mateusz Nunez, who Guardiola mentioned in his pre-match interview, would have a more defensive role today. Bernardo Silva scored against Manchester United the last time these sides met at the Community Shield. Phil Foden back in the team today. His first appearance in a fortnight. Erling Haaland has scored six goals in his four Premier League Manchester derbies so far. Amongst the substitutes, 20-year-old Dibin Mubamba, who has played in the Premier League for West Ham United in the past, hoping to make his senior City debut at some stage later on. Well, Ruben Amorim's first taste of a Manchester derby. He's made some dramatic changes. It's as much who is not involved today as who he has selected. Andre Onana, who's been in the spotlight lately over some individual errors, plays behind a defence that sees the inclusion of Harry Maguire playing against Manchester City for the 20th time in his career. Bruno Fernandes has scored three goals in Manchester derbies in the past. Manuel Ugarte savours his first taste of this occasion. We're expecting a more advanced role today for Amad Diallo. Mason Mount has given a starting role. And up top, Rasmus Hoyland, who's been in the goals lately. He has scored five times in his last four games in all competitions, notably on the bench. No Rashford, no Garnaccio. They're not injured, just not selected. He has proven himself, Pep Guardiola, to be a football manager, a genius of the past. How does he cope with this role of crisis management now? Both teams conceded early in their Premier League games last weekend. Manchester City were a goal down at Palace inside four minutes. Manchester United went behind after 91 seconds at home to Nottingham Forest. Early lead for Harry Maguire in what is set to be a big battle against Erling Haaland today. That's Rowley trapped by Doku. Any derby game, you want to lay down the early markers in those 50-50 challenges. Yeah, and in terms of how both are set up, Nunes, who's on it now, is playing from the left-back position, but he will spend quite a bit of his time in midfield in possession. And Manchester United out of possession. We're seeing it now. Both Mount and Ahmad, even though they're kind of tucked in, number tens, they'll have to get a little wider. Or Fernandes is doing it on this side now for Manchester United. So it's pretty much a 5-4-1 without the ball. Manchester United who have named a different starting central defensive partnership in all five of their Premier League games under Ruben Amorim. Still searching for the balance and the cohesion of his team. First taste of a Manchester derby, but he does know this will not be easy. Manchester United have lost five of the last six Premier League derbies. And it was only last month that Amorim beat Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League in Lisbon as manager of Sporting. Interesting that there's some early activity down in the Manchester United technical area. And here is why. A problem from Mason Mount, whose Manchester United career has been so disrupted by injury. Just when he was hoping to get a run in the team, his day is in jeopardy and it might be finishing early. So Kobi Meydu is going to come on. A 19-year-old born just down the road in Stockport enters the Manchester derby frame. You can get sick of treatment tables, you know. Kobi Meydu who scored was player of the match against City in the FA Cup final in May. So Bruno Fernandes will push on where Mount was. And Meydu will sit alongside Ugarte in midfield. Bernardo Silva spots plenty of space on the near side for Mateusz Ludas. Kevin De Bretta for all of City's woes. He's still the Premier League player who has created the most chances per 90 minutes this season. But he's on the pitch, he still does deliver. Doku. Haaland couldn't get up. Here's Phil Foden. He's on a range! It's the first shot in anger of the Manchester derby. It's taken 20 minutes. Yeah, and again, it's one of those situations where he's just made his mind up. That's the kind of wing play you want to see from Doku. And Ana was stationary. And I think relieved to see this fizz past that near post. Remarkably that we are midway through December and Phil Foden has still yet to score in the Premier League this season. We are 25 minutes into this Manchester derby and the visitors are yet to have a touch of the ball inside the City penalty area. I don't think Amiri will be overly worried about it. I think he's seeing something more cohesive here. They might get a touch here. Amadi Allo! One on one! What a chance! Flag was up, it wouldn't have counted anyway. Yeah, maybe that's the one area he needs to kind of improve on things, those finishes. Yes, he's run into an offside position. But the opportunity still presented itself and should be looking to tuck those away more convincingly. Doku, feeling a way towards the back post, Doku trying to take on the shot himself. Has Manchester City received another corner? Yeah, and this hasn't been a Manchester United strength this season. Set pieces into their box. 39% of the goals that Manchester United have conceded in the Premier League this season have been from corner kicks. Yeah, it's a Hoyland Harland thing again. It's attractive. Anthony Taylor. Gundogan. His return to the runner wasn't perfect, but what a great cross in the circumstances. And Josco Guardiola puts Manchester City in front in the derby. Manchester United concede from a corner kick again. Well, certainly Guardiola put it away beautifully, but there was kind of an element of good fortune because it it comes off Ahmad and then it spins its way right onto the head of Guardiola. And just for that moment, Hoyland took a step forward. And as a result of that, it just afforded a little bit of room for Guardiola to get on the end of it and keep it away from Manana. And yeah, it's a set piece that's done United again. A big Croatian delivers for Pep Guardiola again. He will feel he deserved a stroke of luck. The deflection on the cross. It goes City's way. Valen Hoyland, not happy here with scoring up to Walker. The action from Rasmus Hoyland has produced a traumatic response from Kyle Walker. Manchester United players feel there's been an overreaction by the Manchester City captain, but if Hoyland has made connection with him, he could be in trouble here. And it doesn't take much these days. Josco Guardiola's goal has lit the fuse. Yellow card is out. Rasmus Hoyland is going to get a yellow here. And Kyle Walker, we think, too. Here's what happened. Yeah, well, it was a push to begin with from Walker on Hoyland, and Hoyland wasn't too happy with it. And he's reacted angrily and gone to him. I mean, Walker shouldn't be going down. Sorry. I think, you know, Walker almost deserves a yellow card for going down. Well, it's like two stags clinging together with their antlers. But Kyle Walker, I think he'll be a bit embarrassed when he sees the replay of that to go down. Agreed. I mean, there was no headbutt. I mean, they both squared heads up, but there was nothing violent. Yellow card apiece, but I don't think we've heard the last of that. Just an added little derby spice. Having just conceded to a set piece at one end, and Manchester United reply with one here. Bruno Fernandes, de-licked. Uncertain defending. City, for a moment, were under immense distress there. It's going to be a corner to Manchester United. It could have gone anywhere. I think City are claiming that there wasn't a touch from them and that it shouldn't be a corner. Traoré keeping his eye on the ball. Bernardo Silva, the back post. Beaten by Delo. Foden, put off on the space. Nearly, very nearly, touching the way through. It is a Manchester City corner. That's lovely skill from Foden, once it arrives at his feet, the way he's able to just dribble his way through past Agarte and get it on that left side again. And it's Maguire, maybe a follow-up touch from Onana to secure the corner. Yeah, the keeper does get a little touch on it, too. Short corner again for Manchester City. To Traoré, as he's fouled by Martí Tivitén, as he was. Free kick to Manchester City. Could be the final action of the first half. Yeah, I think he thought he was going to cross it, and then he just kind of played it towards the byline and Martínez wasn't expecting it and, of course, had to make contact. Nervous moments in these closing seconds of the first half for the visitors. Here comes the target. Agarte was there to cover. That brings the first half to a halt. It's an opening 45 minutes for the Fireworks game, just after a corner. Smoke show for Josco. Cornejo's goal has City in front of the derby. At the break, Manchester City 1, Manchester United 0. Pep Guardiola looking for some zen, some calm amidst the turbulence. It has been feisty. We've had the bust up between Walker and Hoyland. We've had the all-important goal from Josco Guardiola. We have 45 big derby minutes to go. Neither Rasmus Hoyland or Erling Haaland had a touch of the ball inside the opposition penalty area that first half. Erling Haaland only had six touches of the ball. Can Pep Guardiola's team hold on to this lead? Ahmad. Space for Martínez. Dalot. Bruno Fernández. A few options to aim for here. Ahmad. And it's a great save from Ederson. That's the first serious moment that he's been called into action today. Yeah, and probably the two brightest of Manchester United's players in recent times, Fernández with the setup. I'm not sure whether it was going in, but Ederson can't take the chance. He has to get there in case it rebounds off the post. And it may well have done that. Good save. Today is Ederson's 350th appearance for Manchester City. His first game for the club was all the way back in 2017. De Ligt wins the header. Ucate. Martínez. Guardiola brave. Throwing his forward in ahead of Hoyland. Well, if we're going to be kind to Ahmad and say that was on target, it would be Manchester United's first attempt on target of the day. But that's only if we say it was on target. Haaland. Martínez. Hoyland. Ruben Díaz is the defender. It was a little clumsy initially. And the on-field referees call his goal kick, but video assistant referee Stuart Atwell will have a look at this. It's a very quick decision that comes to the VAR booth. Check complete. Goal kick. No penalty. Yeah, I just wonder whether Hoyland in trying to control the ball and keep it away from Díaz, whether he realized that the angle had become too acute and he tried to make it look as if it was a penalty. But I thought the referee was well positioned and he dismissed it straight away. He's tried to play the ball, but put his leg across. But I think he's initiated the fall. Yeah, I think he was trying to just lean into Díaz and it just seems to be kind of a delayed reaction when he goes down. The Moroccan has come out on top in most of them. Bruno Fernandes onside for Manchester United. That was the big moment. That was the moment they needed. Well, it was superb for Masraoui to put Daku under so much pressure and then win the ball back. And then once it's fed to Hoyland, I think this is absolutely exquisite. The little dink to get him in behind Fernandes. And when the big moment arose, his reaction tells you all you need to know. Scuffed it. Clock ticks on. Running out of time now. Oh, that's a terrible ball. Mateus Nunes to Ahmad. Down he goes in the penalty area and Manchester United get a dramatic late spot kick. Mateus Nunes has fouled Ahmad. And Manchester United are going to get the chance to equalise. Who saw this coming? Well, it's it's a nightmare moment followed by a nightmare moment because this is the first one. And Ahmad, I think, regretted not going for it first time. But listen, he's ended up just kind of waiting a little bit. And Nunes has granted him the penalty that he wasn't probably expecting. I mean, it's an awful attempt at a challenge and desperation to try and recover from the first mistake. And he compounds matters. And Manchester United have found a possible way back into this. An astonishing plot twist. Just when Pep Guardiola thought he was dragging his team out of the mire. Mateus Nunes drags City back into trouble. Last time they met, Community Shield in August, the last Manchester derby was decided in a penalty shootout. And is it going to be a spot kick that plays a key role in the outcome here today? Bruno Fernandes, who scored a penalty against Chelsea last month. He has scored more penalties for Manchester United in all competitions than any other player. This will be his 37th penalty in Manchester United colours. He has scored 32 out of 36 so far. It is three and a half years since any team failed to score a penalty in the Premier League against Manchester City. Bruno Fernandes levels up the Manchester derby as the whole course of the afternoon changes in the blink of an eye. Well, there's delirium in the away end, and I think he deserves a certain amount of credit, Bruno Fernandes, because of that earlier miss. That would have been kind of playing in his head because of the pro that he is, and he may have had a sleepless night, but this may help him get off a little quicker. It's very, very cool. Keepers guessed wrong, and it's with conviction. Well, it's almost a why always me moment, isn't it, for Bruno Fernandes as he makes his little face to the City fans. Mateusz Nunez, this will eat away at his soul. Manchester City, who were minutes away from a badly, badly needed win, and Mateusz Nunez with the error that has landed Pep Guardiola's side back into misery territory again. So in the middle of all of that, Savino came on in place of Gundogan. That's basically caused Bernardo Silva to move into midfield alongside Kovacic, Savino from the right. And when he said it, you never quite know what you're going to get in a Manchester derby. And this one has kept a sting in the tail until late on, and it may get even better for Manchester United. And a minute is Ruben Amorim about to beat Manchester City for the second time in a month. Oh, this is another collapse of catastrophic proportions. Echoes of the Feyenoord Champions League game, when City led 3-0 and it ended up 3-3. This one, a 1-0 lead is now set for a 2-1 defeat. It's astonishing. It is. I mean, he makes the run, I think, initially in hope, and he's probably thinking, oh, this is going to be cut out. It wasn't brilliant to actually reach out and get it there. But Vardyol seems to be back in position to deal with it. And somehow it actually just slipped through his legs, which he can't sort out in trying to recover. And not through his legs, but just just behind him, it seems. So he got ahead of it, but absolutely brilliantly taken by Ahmad, misjudged by Edison, who didn't read it. And, oh, Manchester City, they won't be able to explain this. Xerxe heads for the corner flag. It is all over. Incredible finish at the Etihad. It's the biggest result of Ruben Amorim's tenure at Manchester United so far. This really is a giant leap for the new manager. For Manchester City, their season is collapsing. The reigning champions have only had one win in their last seven Premier League games now. Pep Guardiola's team remain nine points behind the leaders, Liverpool. They've played a game more. City, who have been knocked down and they are really struggling to get back up again. The 195th Manchester derby was a stunner and it has been won by Manchester United.