Despite Manchester City's erratic form
of late, I expected them to turn up at Old Trafford yesterday and,
for the first 15 minutes, they did.
They had United chasing shadows.
In the sixth minute, Jesus Navas brilliantly beat our offside trap and only a good save from David de Gea prevented them from going 1-0 up.
Two minutes later, James Milner fed David Silva who in turn set up Sergio Aguero to tap home in front of the Stretford End.
They had United chasing shadows.
In the sixth minute, Jesus Navas brilliantly beat our offside trap and only a good save from David de Gea prevented them from going 1-0 up.
Two minutes later, James Milner fed David Silva who in turn set up Sergio Aguero to tap home in front of the Stretford End.
History repeating? No.
City then inexplicably took their foot
off the pedal, either that or sheer bloody mindedness dragged us back
into the game.
A fight, a hunger and a desire, conspicuous by absence last season, reared its head and when Ashley Young equalised in the 14th minute, things changed dramatically.
Youngey's tenacity, a quality he is not generally known for, shone through and the goal sent OT into raptures.
A fight, a hunger and a desire, conspicuous by absence last season, reared its head and when Ashley Young equalised in the 14th minute, things changed dramatically.
Youngey's tenacity, a quality he is not generally known for, shone through and the goal sent OT into raptures.
Marouane Fellaini deservedly put United
ahead on 27 minutes after great build up between Antonio Valencia and
Juan Mata.
Midway through the second half, Rooney then fed the again impressive Mata to steer in beyond Hart before Chris Smalling, played onside by the floundering Eliaquim Mangala, headed home the fourth.
Midway through the second half, Rooney then fed the again impressive Mata to steer in beyond Hart before Chris Smalling, played onside by the floundering Eliaquim Mangala, headed home the fourth.
The 89th minute saw Aguero
halve the deficit with a consolation strike, but City's shocking body
language belied their current position as champions.
There was no urgency, no desire to press United and look to set up a grandstand finish, and the fact that they had long given up on the game tells me that its looking very likely that Manuel Pellegrini will pick up his P45 in the next couple of months.
There was no urgency, no desire to press United and look to set up a grandstand finish, and the fact that they had long given up on the game tells me that its looking very likely that Manuel Pellegrini will pick up his P45 in the next couple of months.
Manchester is never a quiet place, but
the cacophony created by our sometimes noisy and annoying neighbours
has abated dramatically over the past few months.
The once ubiquitous blue and white scarves are now long gone.
Bluenoses who were crowing and incorrectly telling us a year ago that we “were the worst champions we've ever seen” (as if they'd know) are not as visible on the streets or social media.
The once ubiquitous blue and white scarves are now long gone.
Bluenoses who were crowing and incorrectly telling us a year ago that we “were the worst champions we've ever seen” (as if they'd know) are not as visible on the streets or social media.
There's no doubting the fact that City
have made a better job of defending their title this season than we
did last time around, but, even allowing for that, United have still
won more trophies that City since Sheik Mansour's takeover in 2008.
City have spent all that money trying
to buy success but, looking at them yesterday, there's already a
root and branch restructure needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment