They traded songs about Manchester City being the best team in the world and Manchester United having won the lot. Call it wishful thinking, nostalgia or simply a distraction from a dull, dismal derby as mediocrity and mundanity ruled at Old Trafford. The 196th derby simply illustrated the slide in standards on both sides of Manchester.
An afternoon notable for the presence of iconic greats – Eric Cantona in the stands, Kevin De Bruyne in the City forward line – was a reminder of what these clubs have been. Now they are 13th and fifth. If City finish any lower and fail to reach the Champions League, the five points dropped against United this season will appear particularly costly. “I prefer to have 10 more points or 20 more but it is what it is,” shrugged Pep Guardiola. “Old Trafford is Old Trafford.”
Even one of United’s better results under Ruben Amorim means they are now mathematically certain to finish with fewer points than last season. They did at least reach 38, the mythical number that denotes safety from relegation, though that should prompt few celebrations. “We are doing the worst season in history,” said Amorim, with a certain flair. “Manchester City is struggling. We are not in the moments to give the best spectacle.”
They did not. “Everywhere we need to improve in every aspect,” added Amorim, with a bracing honesty. Yet even as United added to his respectable draws against some of the elite, it came with a 5-4-1 formation, a low block to protect their slow players, scant threat and little evidence of progress. “I’m not naive or crazy, I can see the moment we are in, I can look at the opponents and understand there is a big gap,” said Amorim, defending an unambitious approach.
For City, there was no cutting edge without Erling Haaland and little creativity, even with De Bruyne playing his final derby. Arguably, two defensively susceptible sides kept clean sheets because the other was too inept to score. The watching Scott Parker, whose Burnley side have amassed stalemates this season, witnessed another.
It was defined by what didn’t happen. There was no third successive win over Guardiola for Amorim, a feat only Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel have managed. Nor was there a record-equalling eighth win at Old Trafford for Guardiola, who remains one behind Brian Clough.
This could at least contain fond memories for De Bruyne. He ended with a hug of appreciation and a tribute from Bruno Fernandes. “If City is where he is and Manchester United haven’t won many trophies in this period, that is because of Kevin,” said the United captain. Maybe a sentimental streak in Guardiola was apparent as De Bruyne started, and at centre-forward. It was a throwback: from the Nou Camp in 2016 to the 2021 Champions League final, Guardiola has used him in lieu of a specialist striker before.
It rendered him an ersatz replacement for Haaland, minus the goals. There were hints of the old drive, a man carrying the attack to United. Even in his dotage, De Bruyne still has a central-character energy. Too few others did.
“We were not in the right position to hurt them more,” Guardiola lamented. Shifted wide as a result of the captain’s inclusion, Omar Marmoush felt wasted on the left, United allowing him too little room to use his pace, City affording him too little service. Marmoush at least drew Andre Onana’s two best stops, parrying a free kick and fielding a ferocious hit. Meanwhile, Phil Foden’s funk continued: a scorer of six goals against United in the past three years spurned his best chance, stumbling to prod a shot tamely wide. Foden’s mother was targeted in some unedifying chants. Guardiola said: “It is lack of integrity, class and they should be ashamed but it happens everywhere.”
There was too little of the right sort of aggression derbies can bring. The save of the game came from Ederson, repelling the substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s half-volley. The provider was Patrick Dorgu; it was, though, one of the few things the January signing did right. With City more open than their hosts, United had the opportunity to fashion more openings. They rarely took them, due in part to a lack of quality. Dorgu was a particular culprit, a terrible touch when found by Diogo Dalot an emblematic moment.
“We needed a killer instinct,” rued Fernandes; once again, without Marcus Rashford, United lacked one. They have one first-half goal in open play in their last 25 games, and did not add to that slender tally. They looked at their most dangerous in the first 25 seconds, when Alejandro Garnacho surged forward, Ruben Dias fouled him on the edge of the box and collected a booking. It was almost an explosive start. It was scarcely an omen of things to come.
Instead, it was shaped by various mishaps. By Dorgu’s various mishaps. By Casemiro pinging a pass into the advertising hoardings. By Matheus Nunes gifting United a throw as he failed to control De Bruyne’s lay-off. And when the blunders live longest in the memory, it is rarely a good sign.
