Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
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Kick off for the game is at 4.30pm.
Who do you think will win?
Poll Results:
Confirmation of today’s teams…
🔴 In the red corner... #MUFC #MCIMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 11, 2018
Live updates in our official app: https://t.co/r3dIT9LyM6 pic.twitter.com/LEZyM1sXl1
How we line-up in the 177th Manchester Derby! 🔵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 11, 2018
City XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho, Silva (C), Mahrez, Bernardo, Sterling, Aguero
Subs | Muric, Kompany, Gündogan, Delph, Sané, Jesus, Foden
Presented by @HAYSWorldwide ⚽️ #MCIMUN #mancity pic.twitter.com/p07uaAz0aB
Remember this?
An unforgettable moment in an unforgettable derby pic.twitter.com/1aKDb57VIi
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) November 11, 2018
We’re under way…
Decent start by City.
Bernardo Silva receives the ball on the edge of the area and fires it just wide.
City continue to threaten.
Fernandinho finds Silva in the box with an incisive pass.
The Spaniard then squares it to Aguero, who completely mis-kicks his attempted shot.
The ball then falls back to Fernandinho on the edge of the area, but the Brazilian drags his attempt harmlessly wide.
City seem to be targeting Ashley Young.
Sterling has just got in behind the United right-back, before Smalling comes to the rescue with a timely interception.
MAN CITY 1-0 MAN UNITED (SILVA 12)
City deservedly take the lead.
A dangerous Sterling cross falls to Bernardo Silva, who plays it back across to box to David Silva.
The Spaniard’s subsequent close-range shot is so powerful that David de Gea can only help it on its way into the net.
Nice, apt description by Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
He calls City a team with “the speed of a flyweight and the punch of a heavyweight”.
United have steadied the ship slightly since the goal.
The hosts were at an incredible 87% possession in the lead up to the opener.
1-0 for #MCFC. David Silva 12 mins. According to the stats I'm seeing, #MUFC have completed five passes so far, though they'll get chance for a sixth from the kick-off
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKayTimes) November 11, 2018
Ashely Young makes space down the right, but his cross goes straight into the arms of Ederson.
United have been slightly better, as they’ve been forced to attack more in recent minutes.
It opens up for Laporte, but he shoots well over from distance.
City continue to look the better side in this contest.
City’s intensity has definitely dropped since the goal, with United coming into the game more as a result.
Martial has just had a sight at goal, but Fernandinho is on hand to make a good block.
Sterling crosses for Silva, who can’t quite properly connect with the header. “He turned into Niall Quinn,” says Gary Neville.
Moments later, Bernardo Silva drives forward and plays through Aguero, who can only find the side netting from a tight angle.
HALF-TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 MAN UNITED
So half-time, and City deservedly took the lead following an early onslaught where United simply could not cope with the speed of their attacks.
Since then, however, Pep Guardiola will probably be slightly disappointed with how his side have gone about their task.
Their intensity has dropped, the pace of the game has slowed and United have come more into the match more as a result.
In saying that, Jose Mourinho cannot have too many complaints about the scoreline. His team have struggled to create chances, with City continue to enjoy the majority of the possession.
The second half has begun…
MAN CITY 2-0 MAN UNITED (AGUERO 46)
City double their advantage through Aguero.
Lingard loses it in midfield, before the Argentine international plays a clever one-two with Mahrez before finishing powerfully past De Gea inside the box from a tight angle.
Given his high standards, the Spanish goalkeeper will probably feel he should have done better.
It’s tempting to say ‘game over,’ but United did come back from two-down against the same opposition at the Etihad last season.
City, though, will be keenly aware of that fact and determined not to make the same mistakes this time around.
United make an attacking change.
Lukaku, who has been out injured for a couple of games, replaces Lingard.
PENALTY FOR MAN UNITED!
MAN CITY 2-1 MAN UNITED (MARTIAL 58)
Out of nothing, United are back in this game, and Lukaku makes an immediate impact.
He latches on to a through ball and Ederson rashly tries to intercept but ends up taking the man.
Martial subsequently sends the Man City stopper the wrong way with his spot kick.
United have been looking much more confident and positive since that goal.
City respond by replacing Mahrez with Sane. The former Leicester man, who had a hand in the second goal, does not look best pleased by being taken off.
Better from City. Sane, who has looked bright since coming on, skips it away from a challenge and plays it to Fernandinho.
The Brazilian midfielder tests De Gea with a powerful shot from the edge of the area.
30 - There were just 30 seconds between Romelu Lukaku coming on as a sub, and winning @ManUtd's penalty. Countdown. #MUNMCI pic.twitter.com/cqrmvdVtlj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 11, 2018
United are still not creating many real chances so it’s no surprise to see a change.
Herrera and Rashford are replaced by Mata and Sanchez.
It also looks like Jose Mourinho’s side are reverting to a 4-2-3-1 formation.
City break through the pacy Sterling.
The England international crosses to Sane, who shoots wildly over the bar when some composure was needed.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola has decided to make a change, with Gundogan replacing Aguero.
The German international will slot into midfield alongside Silva and Fernandinho, with Sterling going into a more central attacking role.
City have done well in recent minutes.
They’ve not been afraid to attack and are controlling the play for the most part.
5 - Anthony Martial is just the fifth French player to score in five consecutive @premierleague appearances, after Thierry Henry (x3), Eric Cantona, Nicolas Anelka and Olivier Giroud. Cinq. #MUNMCI
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 11, 2018
MAN CITY 3-1 MAN UNITED (GUNDOGAN 86)
What a goal from City — there must have been at least 30 passes in the build-up.
After some calm, patient play, a lovely ball is played across the box by Silva. He finds Gundogan, who loses Matic and takes a perfect first touch, before finishing well.
City make another change.
Phil Foden comes on for David Silva, who has been superb today.
FULL-TIME: MAN CITY 3-1 MAN UNITED
So that’s that.
Even the most ardent United fan will find it hard to quibble with the result.
City outclassed their rivals for the most part, with a wonderful third goal the iceing on the cake.
The scary thing for their rivals is that Pep Guardiola’s men will feel they can play better — there were times where they took their foot off the pedal and let their intensity dropped.
An individual error from Ederson got the visitors back in the game, but they didn’t create enough chances to deserve anything from the match.
Credit must go to Guardiola, whose substitutions made a difference — Gundogan, in addition to his lovely goal, helped City take full control of the match in the final few minutes and see out this tense encounter with supreme confidence.
Convincing Man Utd supporters that he cannot possibly do any better with this team is Mourinho’s biggest managerial feat in recent weeks.
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) November 11, 2018
Right, that’s it from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction to follow.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You can read our match report here.
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