Premier League Roundup: Manchester Derby surprisingly ends in favour of United

The Manchester United derby on Super Sunday ended in favour of United as they finally brought Manchester City‘s 28-game unbeaten run to an end with a shock 2-0 victory at the Etihad, with early goals in each half from Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw stunning the Premier League leaders.

Having been criticised for lack of intent in big fixtures this season, Manchester United were a different monster at the Etihad and quickly jumped to the lead inside two minutes thanks to a Bruno Fernandes penalty, after Gabriel Jesus had clumsily fouled Anthony Martial just 34 seconds in.

City got back control of possession and dominated it for the entirety of the game after that, even going close at the start of the second half as Rodri hit the bar but moments later, Shaw drove forwards and finished the move he started to put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side on course for a big derby win.

The win may not be so significant in the title race for United but getting one over their arch rival would be one to cherish. City still maintained the top spot with a handsome 11 points with 10 games to play, while United took an important step towards Champions League qualification and laid down a marker with this statement win.

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Managers reactions…

Man City boss Pep Guardiola said: “It was a fantastic game. United make incredibly high pressing and they are so fast on the counter. We played good. Unfortunately we couldn’t be clinical up front so we congratulate United.

“We will be the news because we lost. But the news is 21 victories in a row. There are still 30 points to play and we have to start to win again. That’s football. Sometimes it happens. We played much better than the game against West Ham which we won.”

The United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, also said: “When you come away with a 2-0 win, another clean sheet, and a performance like this, we’re delighted, of course. We knew it was a challenge, the first goal dictated a lot of what happened out there. We came in at half-time having played too much on the result that we were winning, but in the second half we got on the ball more and what a second goal, fantastic.

“Every game is different, but we went back to more of the kind of team we want to be. We were more direct, more straightforward, attacking play was positive and we got at them.”

Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)

• Manchester City were beaten for the first time since November 2020 (0-2 v Spurs), ending a run of 28 games without defeat across all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side.
• Manchester United have won three consecutive away games in all competitions against Manchester City for the first time since a run of four between November 1993 and November 2000.
• Amongst managers Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has faced more than three times across all competitions as a top-flight boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjær is the only one to have beaten the Spaniard (4) more often than he has lost to Guardiola (3).
• Ole Gunnar Solskjær is the first manager in Manchester United’s history to win each of his first three away meetings in all competitions with Manchester City.
• Since the start of the 2019-20 season, 60% of Manchester City’s home defeats in all competitions have come against Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s Manchester United (3/5). The Norwegian is now the only manager to have won three away games against sides managed by Pep Guardiola.
• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 103 Premier League games when leading at half time (W91 D12), with their last such defeat coming in September 2014 under Louis van Gaal (3-5 v Leicester).
• Marcus Rashford’s assist for Manchester United’s second goal was his 10th across all competitions this season – the first time he has reached double figures for assists in a single season in his club career.
• Since his Premier League debut in February 2020, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has scored 12 of the 13 penalties he has taken in the competition. Indeed, his 12 penalty goals are more than any team besides Man Utd in the Premier League in this period.
• After just 101 seconds, Bruno Fernandes’ penalty was the earliest goal that Manchester City have ever conceded in a Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, and the first they have conceded within two minutes at home in the competition since Steed Malbranque’s strike for Fulham at Maine Road in January 2003.