3 Things We Learned From Manchester United’s Defeat At Etihad

Manchester City 1 Manchester United 0

Sergio Aguero’s 10th League goal of the season was enough for Manchester City to beat 10-man Manchester United and go to within three points of League leaders Chelsea. For the visitors it was a case of what might have been had Chris Smalling not been sent off as the Red Devils mustered a strong response in the second half. In the end, they finish the day in 10th spot, 13 points behind Chelsea and with a mountain to climb already.

Here are the major talking points from the game.

1. Aguero shows just why he is City’s main man

Although City started the game on the back foot, they slowly started to get at United and leading the charge was Sergio Agüero. The Argentinean striker scored four in his last home game in the League and was facing a far from first-choice defence. Right from the start it looked as though he was going to add to 4 derby goals and in the first half alone, he could have scored a hat-trick, if it weren’t for the efforts of David De Gea in the United goal. Not only was he constantly creating openings for himself, but was also causing a lot of bother for the visitors’ defence, who were struggling to get to grips with him.

Smalling’s red card and Marcos Rojo’s injury meant that United’s defence was severely depleted again and it looked as though it was only a matter of time, before the Argentinean striker scored. And Aguero did, on the 63rd minute, to give his side the lead that they richly deserved. But it was after that the striker’s importance to the side was so visible. Without him, the visitors’ defence played a much higher line and started taking chances. They pushed City back, who, without an out-ball or a clinical finisher, struggled to kill the game off and were in the end, lucky to escape with a win.

2. Michael Oliver has a day to forget

Often referees have a thankless job. When they do well, they are hardly noticed or acknowledged but when they make a mistake, even if it is a small one, that was only found out thanks to the help of countless replays, they are criticised from pillar to post. On Sunday, Michael Oliver didn’t do himself any favours thanks to some of his decisions. While referees are often asked to let the game flow, Oliver’s decision to do so but not punish offences after the ball went out of play was quite baffling. Januzaj in particular was the victim of several bad tackles in the first half, none of which were punished.

While the referee was certainly right in sending off Smalling, his decision to do nothing when Joe Hart got in his face after the centre back’s first yellow was certainly odd. Not only did, the referee also didn’t give City, two clear cut penalties, a decision which wasn’t helped by his poor positioning. All in all, Oliver didn’t help himself with some of his decisions, which clearly didn’t go down too well with either side.

3. United still a long way away from the top

After a morale-boosting draw against Chelsea last weekend, the game against City was one that some sections of the crowd thought they could get something out of the game. For all the money that was spent, it was becoming increasingly clear that on the pitch, the side were only just starting to play in a ways that the manager wants them to play. With that in mind, the last thing they would have wanted is a defeat to their bitter rivals.

Unfortunately for United, Smalling’s stupid sending off in the first half meant that they were going to be chasing shadows for the rest of the game. If that wasn’t enough Rojo’s injury meant that the Red Devils finished the game with a centre back pairing of 19-year-old Paddy McNair and Michael Carrick, who was making his first appearance of the season. Although the visitors tried their best to get a goal back in the final 15 minutes, it wasn’t to be as City, unlike Chelsea last week were able to hold on to their lead and left United still awaiting their first away win of the season.