Manchester United Force Draw Against Manchester City In Derby

Mason Mount celebrating with Kevin de Bruyne after Manchester United goalless draw against Manchester City

Manchester United forced a point off Manchester City in a derby that ended in a goalless draw at Old Trafford. The third Manchester derby that finished in a goalless draw since 2016/17. 

Despite multiple efforts made to break the deadlock, the goal eluded the Red Devils. There were great moments that should have set United on course to victory, unfortunately, those chances were wasted. In the end, they settled for the draw. 

Bruno Fernandez was in his best shape, making deliveries to get the frontline goal-scoring range. Alejandro Garnacho was a problem for the Citizens but could not connect the balls into the net. Dorgu was another interesting figure, charging the team up by overlapping, 

It was not a pleasant outcome, yet it was plausible that neither side conceded, particularly for City, who have now done so in successive Premier League games since their last in 2024.

Overview 

The match began with a flurry of activity, as both teams created scoring opportunities. City almost had themselves punished in the 1st minute when Ruben Diaz dropped Garnacho in the box. United appealed for a penalty, but it was marginally outside the box. 

City struggled to create scoring opportunities; the tactic deployed was not working. United gained access to the counters as a consequence, often facilitated by Fernandes, making it difficult for  Gundogan-Kovacic in the midfield to hold off United’s assaults. Dorgu made prominence by going on the overlap. 

United pressed City, winning the ball high up and making precise passes to create scoring opportunities. When the Red Devils were to get into trouble, Maguire blocked off O'Reilly's cross that would have set Marmoush up to score. 

The second half saw several substitutions, including the introduction of Doku and Savinho. The substitutions added fresh legs to the team and allowed them to maintain their intensity. Yet, nothing yielded. The match was filled with late drama, including a series of contentious decisions and several yellow cards.