Manchester United Secure 2-1 Victory Over Struggling Manchester City: City’s Poor Form Continues With One Win in 11 Matches
My match review of the Manchester derby.
Manchester United have beaten their cross-town rivals Manchester City (2-1) in the dying minutes at the Etihad Stadium.
City scored in the first half from a header by Joško Gvardiol. However, an 88th-minute penalty scored by Bruno Fernandes and a 90th-minute game-winner by Amad Diallo sealed City’s fate.
There is no greater feeling as a United fan than seeing the Red Devils beat Liverpool or City. I’m going to be honest with you, the game was dull for nearly an hour. But top-quality banter by Rasmus Højlund about City’s right-back Kyle Walker for taking an Olympic-level dive during the match was brilliant.
Player Performances
Here are some notes I had about the match:
Amad Diallo: Diallo continues to shine in a central role, proving his worth in United’s front three. Consistent performances like these warrant a permanent place in the starting XI.
Bruno Fernandes: Despite missing a golden chance set up by Højlund, Fernandes displayed discipline in his passing during the first half.
Harry Maguire: Exceptional in a back three, with Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez complementing him perfectly.
How to improve during the upcoming transfer window?
Winning against City was great, but the club now must think of what players they must sign during the transfer window.
Mason Mount and Luke Shaw must be sold.
Shaw has been at the club for nearly a decade. He hasn’t been able to stay fit for most of the season during his tenure at the club. I think it’s the right time for the management to sell him during the transfer window and look to invest in other options.
Furthermore, it’s a similar issue with Mount. The promising ex-Chelsea player has been injured during his tenure at the club. He seems not to have been able to fit into a first-team.
Apart from a left-back and centre-attacking midfield, here are other areas the team needs to improve:
United need to buy a back-up striker. It’s Joshua Zirkzee’s first season at the club, but he has struggled to score consistently during this season. I believe purchasing another striker would create more competition between Zirkzee and Højlund.
The club must replace Christian Eriksen and Casemiro. Both players are on large wages and do not have legs to play in the Premier League. Furthermore, there needs to be backup for Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte.
The Red Devils now face Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup. United manager Ruben Amorim must challenge for trophies this season. His team are currently unbeaten in the Europa League and winning the Carabao Cup/FA Cup would help United’s season from being a horrible one to an average season.
Stay tuned for more match reports. I hope to write more during the January break.
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