Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0
Two mistakes by under-par Ederson summed up Manchester City’s season as they lost at Old Trafford to United goals by Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay.
Martial’s 30th minute volley made him the first United player to score against City home and away in a single Premier League season since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006/07.
The Blues were angry about the controversial award of a free kick on Fernandes by Ilkay Gundogan, with United’s new shining star going down quite easily to win the set piece before picking himself up to chip City’s static defence with Martial reacting first.
City, without the injured Kevin De Bruyne, had no answer to the creativity of Fernandes and it was his decision to chip the free kick up for Martial to volley past Ederson that got United the goal.
Fred appeared to have earned United a penalty after he seemed to be tripped by Nicolas Otamendi but was instead booked for diving.
City had the majority of possession but were unable to fashion anything with it, with Sergio Aguero having a goal ruled out for offside in the second half by VAR while under-par Raheem Sterling mistimed a run and failed to meet Riyad Mahrez’ cross for a chance of an equaliser.
Phil Foden, the source of many of City’s good moves, brought a great save out of David De Gea as City pressed for the equaliser.
And in the last desperate seconds of added time, Ederson decided to throw the ball out for Benjamin Mendy who missed it and Scott McTominay swept home the ball from 40 yards out into the unguarded goal.
The result meant that Liverpool can now take City’s Premier League crown from them with two more wins.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0 – Player Ratings
Manchester United
David De Gea: 7. Early save from Raheem Sterling and tipped over a Phil Foden 30 yard rocket.
Harry Maguire: 6. Mostly comfortable against City as Sergio Aguero went up against him.
Victor Lindelof: 7. Mopped up the danger.
Luke Shaw: 6. Early error almost let in Sergio Aguero.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 7. Skills to create breakthroughs against a slow City defence.
Bruno Fernandes: 8. Sparkling form continues, put Daniel James through early on, inventively chipped a free kick he was lucky to win up for Anthony Martial to score. Massive ovation when he went off.
Nemanja Matic: 7. Had plenty of help managing the City threat in midfield and got some crucial tackling in.
Fred: 7. Hassled City midfielders. Unlucky to get booked for diving as he went into City’s area.
Brandon Williams: 6. Challenged to look after Phil Foden, also put some good balls in.
Daniel James: 7. Wasteful with the chances he got throughout the game but his pace could not be ignored by the pedestrian City defence.
Anthony Martial: 8. Made up for a tame shot, ignoring Daniel James free in the middle for a square pass, by volleying home Bruno Fernandes’ free kick chipped up over the City defence. Collided with the post after committing to attack.
Eric Bailly (on for Brandon Williams, 78): No time to mark
Scott McTominay (on for Anthony Martial, 78): No time to mark (but great injury time goal to pile on the misery for City).
Odion Ighalo (on for Bruno Fernandes, 88): No time to mark
Manchester City
Ederson: 3. Two mistakes lost the game for City – Allowe Anthony Martial’s volley under his grasp after a free kick by Bruno Fernandes. Another slip almost let Martial in again after a poor backpass by Joao Cancelo but he did save from Daniel James before a calamitous throw in the last minute of injury time allowed Sott McTominay to sweep in the ball from 40 yards into the unguarded net.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Bailed out Zinchenko’s poor back pass but his own bad backpass put Ederson under pressure in the second half. More attack minded than most of his defensive compatriots.
Nicolas Otamendi: 5. Blocked Anthony Martial after Brandon Williams’ long ball appeared to have put him through. Lucky to escape a penalty shout after appearing to trip Fred before half time and was stretched as United broke at will in the second half.
Fernandinho: 6. Assured partner for Otamendi but was booked for dissent after Ilkay Gundogan was penalised for a foul in dangerous area.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 5. Slip in first half almost let Anthony Martial in but the mistakes kept coming.
Rodrigo: 7. Booked in the build up to the United goal. Let down by
Ilkay Gundogan: 6. His unlucky foul in dangerous area led to the United opening goal.
Bernardo Silva: 5. Buzzed around midfield but there was little magic from the Portuguese midfielder.
Phil Foden: 6. Proud to have started at Old Trafford, put some good crosses in but was a bit isolated on the right wing. Got more into the game in the second half, having a 30 yard rocket saved by David De Gea. Moved to central midfield after Bernardo Silva went off but became less effective.
Raheem Sterling: 5. Stretched United early and put Sergio Aguero through for a goal which was ruled out by VAR but his level overall dropped alarmingly in the second half and he mistimed a run forward to meet a Mahrez cross for a likely equaliser.
Sergio Aguero: 6. Pressed hard early on to force errors. Offside by an armpit after a VAR check after he scored in the second half. Was seen with ice packing on his thigh after being taken off.
Gabriel Jesus (on for Sergio Aguero, 59): 6. No reward against United defence. Had a shot saved by De Gea.
Riyad Mahrez (on for Bernardo Silva, 59): 7. Good tricks and put in a great cross which should have been converted by Raheem Sterling.
Benjamin Mendy (on for Oleksandr Zinchenko, 77): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0
Man Utd 1, Man City 0: 30. Anthony Martial with a volley from Bruno Fernandes inventive chipped free kick which squirmed in under the grasp of Ederson.
Man Utd 2, Man City 0: 90+6. Scott McTominay swept the ball past Ederson from 40 yards after his attempt to throw it to Benjamin Mendy went wrong and left him stranded.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0
Man Utd: De Gea, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Fernandes (Ighalo 88), Matic, Fred, Williams (Bailly 78), James, Martial (McTominay 78)
Man Utd Subs not used: Romero, Mata, Greenwood, Tuanzebe
Booked: Fred 42 (diving), Maguire 90+5 Maguire (time wasting)
Goals: Martial 30, McTominay 90+6
Man City: Ederson, Cancelo, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Zinchenko (Mendy 77), Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva (Mahrez 59), Foden, Sterling, Aguero (Jesus 59)
Man City Subs not Used: Bravo, Walker, David Silva, Garcia
Booked: Rodri, Fernandinho 29 (dissent), Cancelo 59 (foul on Brandon Williams), Jesus
Attendance: 73,288