OLE Gunnar Solskjaer said Manchester United displayed the “best performance we have had” in a derby during his tenure as his side played out a dismal stalemate behind closed doors against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
In a game devoid of quality and excitement, neither side were able to carve out the opportunity that could make a difference amid the eerie silence of the so-called ‘Theatre Of Dreams’.
Gabriel Jesus was off target and Riyad Mahrez brought a routine save from David de Gea with City’s best first-half chances while Scott McTominay was agonisingly inches away from Victor Lindelof’s flick as United sought the breakthrough.
United defeated City three times in four meetings last season, including a league double over their rivals.
“Possession on the ball, control (was better),” said Solskjaer. “Of course I think last year at the Etihad we could have blown them away from the 10th to the 25th minute. We could have scored four goals.
“Some unbelievable counter-attacking football, but we had about 30% possession and that second half we were hanging on.
“You felt there were fewer moments to hang on today and we had more of the ball.
“Maybe that’s because they had more respect for us as well. I don’t know, but I’d like to think we’ve developed that side of it.
“And then today we just didn’t have enough to get those counter-attacks that we have.”
United thought they had a second-half penalty when Kyle Walker fouled Marcus Rashford but the decision was overturned as VAR revealed the United striker was offside.
It led to an unsatisfactory conclusion for both sides, leaving United seventh in the Premier League and City a place below them.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says his team are improving after derby draw
Manchester United needed some sort of response after the despair and disappointment of their Champions League exit following the loss against RB Leipzig – defeat was not an option.
And that goal, at least, was achieved – but it was achieved in a real eyesore of a game and was only the flimsiest of straws that under-pressure boss Solskjaer and United could clutch at.
Paul Pogba was restored to the starting line-up to little or no effect but it would be unfair to single out the midfielder who seems permanently unsettled at Old Trafford, at least according to agent Mino Raiola, because barely anyone had a positive impact on a shocking spectacle.
De Gea was under the microscope after another expensive error in Germany but he, like City counterpart Ederson, had a quiet night.
He completed two straightforward saves from Mahrez’s first-half effort and Rodri’s injury-time shot but other than that was largely unemployed.
Solskjaer added: “Tactically we knew they were going to give us some problems but defensively we were excellent. I’m delighted with the defensive shape.
“With the ball we didn’t create as much as we wanted to. They probably had the bigger moments in open play, but everyone should be happy with a draw.”
It was that sort of game – although once more United’s £40m summer signing from Ajax Donny van de Beek was left to watch on from the bench perhaps wondering what he has to do to get a start.
-BBC SPORT
The post EPL: No winner in Manchester derby appeared first on ZBC NEWS.