On a day when the sun magnified the sacred Old Trafford turf, Manchester United and Manchester City played out a scoreless draw in the 196th Derby installment.
Say what you will about form and Premier League inconsistency, but it counts for nothing when presented with the possibility of victory over your rivals.
Eight places and 14 points separated the sides before kickoff as Ruben Amorim persevered in his attempts to model the one-time English powerhouse around his Portuguese ideals.
Although his United side has been as Jekyll as Hyde, the prospect of gathering momentum ahead of a season-salvaging Europa League trip to France offered a tantalising prospect that his players gladly accepted.
Inevitably, questions will again surface about the suitability of some and the lack of a killer instinct in the final third. However, with Bruno Fernandes dictating affairs throughout, the red side of Manchester offered far more attacking intent.
United occupy 13th with 38 points, while Pep Guardiola’s outfit sits fifth behind Chelsea in the race for Champions League football.
A scoreless Manchester Derby provides further fuel for debate
The home side came within a stride of a penalty inside the opening minute when Ruben Dias brought Alejandro Garnacho to ground marginally outside the area, setting the tone for the Old Trafford faithful.
Despite the start, much of the opening exchanges were tentative thereafter, with the derby adrenaline naturally weighing heavily on the shoulders.
However, as the half developed, Amorim’s fingerprints were evident on his United side. The Reds supplied significant issues when spreading the ball wide, continuously finding ample pockets of space and engaging in overloads.
Unfortunately, as has often been the case, a lack of clinical nature in the final third was again on show and emphasised after 20 minutes when Garnacho somehow failed to connect from five yards following an exquisite cross from Diogo Dalot.
Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu has earned ample plaudits following his mid-season move from Serie A, and his willingness to constantly provide an attacking option caused endless issues for Matheus Nunes and the City defence.
While Pep’s men held more of the ball, as usual, they struggled to unlock an impressive United structure that limited the visitors to untroubling efforts from distance.
Ultimately, despite witnessing plenty of attractive signs in red, the sides were scoreless at the break. That said, Amorim was the happier of the men on the touchline, having watched his group control significant periods of the fixture in a calculated manner.
Understandably, the tempo grew following the restart as both parties remained unchanged. Phil Foden, usually a player who embraces the occasion, was offered an early opportunity to leave his mark before falling over his feet, typifying his day.
In contrast, Omar Marmoush has been impressive since arriving in the North West and offered a notable threat in the attacking third, testing Andre Onana twice from distance.
Joshua Zikrzee and Mason Mount replaced Manuel Ugarte and Rasmus Hojlund for the final 20 minutes, with the Uruguayan coming agonisingly close through a rasping effort seconds before he saw his number raised from the sideline.
In response, a confident United side began flexing their muscles for the final quarter, with some attractive interplay presenting a stellar effort from Zirkzee before Ederson palmed away impressively.
The video official was called into action with 10 minutes remaining following a Mateo Kovacic challenge on Casemiro. Much to the Brazilian’s dismay, City avoided the agony of a penalty.
United refused to subdue and were the dominant force throughout the closing stages of the 196th Manchester Derby, possessing a hint of swagger and style with each passing transition.
But, try as they may, the 20-time English champions could not find the telling effort following multiple passages of attractive football. Truthfully, while the City players embraced the final whistle, United looked ready for another 45 minutes.
Following back-to-back Premier League outings without a goal, Ineos must do their all to support Amorim in the Summer. His identity is already evident, and his group is not a million miles away from competing.
As frustrating as another goalless outing feels, a trip to Lyon awaits in Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final before another domestic task against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle next weekend.
How do you feel following the latest Manchester Derby? Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
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