With much sadness in my face i announce to you that Manchester City have defeated rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford in a thrilling match to maintain their winning start to life under new team manager Pep Guardiola.
The Citizens, without a win in their past three meetings with United prior to today, dominated the first half but were pegged back following a howler from debutant Claudio Bravo in goal.Kevin de Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho's opening goals proved to be enough for City to hold out for the three points, though, meaning a first defeat in charge of the Red Devils for Jose Mourinho.
With so many underlying storylines in the build-up to the match, the derby clash managed to meet expectations as a high-tempo opening 45 minutes had a reported one billion viewers glued to their TV screens.
For many of the 77,000 spectators inside the Theatre of Dreams, it was very much a first half to forget for large parts as the visitors took complete control of the contest from the off through their high pressing and fluid attacking movement.
Chances would prove to be few and far between for the Citizens, with their only two opportunities resulting in goals, but Guardiola was the happier of the two managers even before De Bruyne's eventual breakthrough goal 15 minutes into the match.
It was not a trademark Guardiola goal, as a simple punt up the field was flicked on by Iheanacho for De Bruyne to simply knock the ball past an embarassed Daley Blind, with the Belgian superbly tucking the ball past David de Gea when clean through.
De Bruyne was again involved, doing his best to gain revenge on former boss Mourinho by cutting inside and curling a shot back off the post for his teammate to fire into the back of the net, making it 31 goals in the last eight derby clashes here.
It was a performance that had all the hallmarks of the Citizens' 6-1 win in this fixture in 2011, yet the game changed on an error from Bravo, who flapped at a simple cross to gift Zlatan Ibrahimovic of all people the chance to drill the ball home inside the box - the third player to score four goals in his first four league games for the club.
From being desperate to hear the half-time whistle to being on top, it was United who were the superior side from that point on as Ibrahimovic saw a back-post header kept out by Bravo, before the ex-Barcelona stopper fluffed his lines yet again on the brink of the interval.
Bravo failed to collect the ball and allowed Jesse Lingard - back in the starting lineup alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan to provide some pace in attack - the chance to turn and shoot, but the returning midfielder failed to pick his spot under pressure.
Mourinho was clearly still unhappy with what he had seen, however, and opted to bring on man of the moment Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera at the midway point, as an end-to-end battle ensued in a hugely entertaining 172nd Manchester derby.
United tails were up as they saw a couple of penalty appeals turned down, one of which involved Bravo again as he lunged in on Rooney studs first after losing possession with his feet.
Home supporters were celebrating wildly 20 minutes from time when Rashford, making the most of some hesitancy between John Stones and Bacary Sagna, raced in on goal and sent a shot into the back of the net.
Ibrahimovic got a telling touch from his offside position to help the ball past Bravo, however, meaning City still had a one-goal lead heading into a frenetic closing quarter.
De Gea first kept out two Fernandinho efforts and a Nolito shot from close range, the latter a fine stop at his near post, before David Silva slipped in De Bruyne to hit the post.
The Citizens were creating chances galore on the counter as United pushed bodies forward in search of a leveller, but Mourinho's men themselves were getting crosses into the box which ultimately came to nothing to spark scenes of joy in the away end at Old Trafford.
Well its not the End of the World!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still love My Team Manchester United!
Source: Legit9ja
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