Whereas all eyes might need fallen on Outdated Trafford on Sunday afternoon, Manchester United and Manchester Metropolis performed out an uneventful goalless draw.
Whereas January recruit Omar Marmoush might need examined Andre Onana on both facet of the interval, possibilities got here at an actual premium.
Though Alejandro Garnacho might need been tumbling simply exterior Metropolis’s field within the opening seconds, the Reds failed to seek out any sort of medical edge within the closing third and by no means appeared probably of discovering the web.
With each of the arch-rivals ultimately settling for an uninspiring level apiece, United stay locked within the bottom-half of the Premier League desk whereas the Sky Blues missed out on the chance to leapfrog Chelsea.
In what was a largely forgettable affair from Outdated Trafford, Sunday’s 0-0 stalemate is the primary time that the Manchester rivals have performed out a goalless draw since again in December 2020.
On a day when each camps will rue a missed alternative, we now have taken a take a look at the principle speaking factors from the crimson half of Manchester.
Attacking inconsistencies hang-out United once more
Marking their return from March’s worldwide break with a 1-0 loss by the hands of Champions League chasers Nottingham Forest, Ruben Amorim has failed to supply any sort of stability since arriving at Outdated Trafford again in November.
Whereas Portuguese ace Bruno Fernandes is perhaps having fun with fairly the free-scoring flurry to date this calendar 12 months, the previous Sporting Lisbon boss can have a mounting headache over his facet’s struggles within the closing third.
With continued hypothesis over the long-term futures of each Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, it’s no shock that Amorim reportedly has a brand new quantity 9 on the high of his summer time wishlist.
Failing to create something of substance right here and with Ederson usually a spectator, United have now drawn back-to-back Premier League blanks since getting back from March’s fortnight interval.
Failing to registering a single strike in consecutive appearances for the primary time this calendar 12 months, United might be subsequent seen on Thursday evening after they get their Europa League quarter-final journey underway away at Lyon.
Metropolis should discover a solution to drag themselves over the ending line
Struggling an notorious last-gasp collapse after they welcomed United to the Etihad for his or her reverse Premier League assembly again in December, Manchester Metropolis had been determined to assert some instant revenge right here.
Nevertheless, though Pep Guardiola’s camp might need marked their return from March’s worldwide break with a routine 2-0 win towards relegation scrappers Leicester, the soon-to-be former champions have endured a record-breaking rut this season.
Lacking out on the possibility to leapfrog Chelsea right here, the Sky Blues have an actual battle on their fingers within the race to e-book a Champions League ticket come Could.
Now mustering only a single victory from their earlier 4 Premier League appearances, Sunday’s company have did not report consecutive top-flight wins because the finish of January.
Likewise, regardless of reserving their FA Cup semi-final spot towards Bournemouth final weekend, Guardiola’s facet have registered only a pair of Premier League wins away from the Etihad to date this calendar 12 months.
A closing Outdated Trafford look for KDB
With it confirmed earlier within the week that Kevin De Bruyne might be leaving the Etihad on the finish of the season, Manchester Metropolis’s playmaking icon would have been determined to steal all the headlines right here.
Nevertheless, whereas the 33-year-old might need been handed a full recall right here in what was his twenty second derby appearances, De Bruyne did not roll again the years in appears to be like set to be his closing outing at Outdated Trafford.
Though the one-time Chelsea misfit might need solely notched a pair of top-flight strikes this season in what has been a downbeat marketing campaign, the Belgium famous person deserves his spot as one of many Premier League’s all-time greats.
Spearheading Metropolis’s period of dominance over United throughout the previous decade, De Bruyne will depart the Etihad as one in every of their modern-day legends and has reported the membership on over 400 events.
Breaking a string or information after arriving from Wolfsburg again in 2015, Metropolis’s favorite son leaves Manchester having gained 16 main trophies, together with six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.
Match Report
Manchester United: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dalot, Dorgu, Casemiro, Ugarte, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund
Subs: Lindelof, Mount, Zirkzee
Manchester Metropolis: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Gundogan, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Marmoush
Subs: Lewis, Grealish, Doku
Targets: N/A
Yellow Playing cards: Manchester United: Yoro, Dalot, Mount – Manchester Metropolis: Silva, Dias
Crimson Playing cards: N/A
Referee: John Brooks
