Manchester Derby: Guardiola was neutralised, De Bruyne plays last derby as Garnacho looks unfit for the task

At the end of the 94th minute on Sunday evening in Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola exchanged pleasantries, hugging each other for the second time in the game. The spoils were shared, and there was no reason for either side to be bitter against one another. It was the first Manchester derby to end in a draw after four and a half years. The last time both sides played a barren draw was in December 2020. Only three players played last Sunday—Bruno Fernandes, Victor Lindelof, and Harry Maguire—among the players who held City in that derby in 2020.

A Different Story

Times have changed, and every Manchester derby usually produces multiple goals, but Sunday’s encounter was a different story. Not that there weren’t moments that could have been capitalised on as a goal, but sloppiness from both sides prevented a dream goal. Neither City nor United seems to need the game at the moment. United have escaped relegation threats, while City aren’t contending for the league.

Manchester Derby: Guardiola Was Again Neutralized by Amorim

Amorim again neutralised Pep Guardiola for the third time this season. The Portuguese will own the bragging rights of staying unbeaten against either City or Pep on three occasions. The first was when he was with Sporting CP and on two other occasions when he assumed the head coach position at United.

Amorim’s Tactics

Amorim made a lot of noise on Sunday, from telling Garnacho how to kick to analysing bad calls from Patrick Dorgu and other United players. The players looked tired even before the game ended. United kept the pace, but the problem is getting to score goals. Not to mention Ruben Dias, who was booked in the early minutes of the game—the first player to be booked in the first minute in a Manchester derby. Also, Casemiro’s astuteness in tackling out and stopping City’s offensive play was instrumental in keeping Pep out of shape. The Brazilian made 11 successful tackles; another player who closed down was Noussair Mazraoui, who recorded four tackles, preventing the likes of Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku from making tangible progress.

Bruno Fernandes’ Performance

Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes proved again to the world that he’s worth the Madrid bargain. The United captain was everywhere on the pitch to ensure his club didn’t suffer another loss.

De Bruyne’s Last Derby Game

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Kevin De Bruyne played his last Manchester derby game on Sunday in an attacking position. It was his 22nd derby clash with United in all competitions, but certainly wasn’t his best despite being sent off front by Guardiola. Having made nine goal contributions in all those derbies, De Bruyne was just a passerby in yesterday’s clash. The Belgian struggled in the game, and it showed how bad it has been for him this season. De Bruyne could only make 69% of accurate passes last Sunday, which speaks volumes about how the mighty man has fallen.

Amorim’s Concerns

It must be acknowledged that Manchester United doesn’t have wingers and strikers at the moment. The season is about to end, and Amorim must find possible replacements for the present ones. Garnacho recorded zero shots either on target or off target yesterday, and Amorim seems to believe the Argentine youngster. Garnacho had a chance to shine yesterday, but what did the young lad do? He looks unprepared; some of the chances he got may have been utilised by Amad Diallo and Mason Greenwood in their prime, and would have punished the City’s defence.