When the final whistle blew in this fantastic Premier League derby between Manchester United and Manchester ity, United triumphed by the narrowest of margins. Its always been a tough Manchester Derby specially when its Held at the Etihad Stadium, in this match Amad Diallo put a highlightable performance and greatly changed the rivalry for the better. The match was a tightly contested one with a lot of strategy, individual brilliance as well as a lot of emotion, surely was one of the turning points of the season for United and left City’s title ambitions in tatters.
The Prelude: A Confrontation of Titans
Heading into the game, it was clear that Manchester City were the favourite, having dominated in the league for more than a couple of seasons. Pep redefined what City played like, turning them into one of the most well oiled teams in Europe, sometimes even able to do the unthinkable. United too showed the potential of being great under Erik ten Hag, the only issue being consistency.
As Manchester City looked to defend their home ground yet again, Manchester United were looking to reduce the gap further and hopefully prove a point that they too superpower… which in turn made the match ever more intriguing.
Both clubs knew the significance of this derby March 10 2020 not only in terms of pride but also in terms of the motivational support that would come its win in the race for the Premier League title.
Manchester United vs Manchester City: Tactical Analysis of the match
It was evident, right from the start that Manchester City had a more aggressive approach to the game. With their trademark high press and possession style of play, United were largely muted which resulted in a few half chances within the first quarter hour of the match. Erling Haaland always looked like a constant threat in the box where David de Gea was forced to save multiple shots on goal however the Spanish goalkeeper dealt with the onslaught quite well.
It was always going to be tough for United to get their foot on the ball as they had the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri controlling the game for City. However, this dominance was not translated into goals as formidable defenders Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez were able to thwart the goals with ease.
City’s domination of the game finally bore fruit in the 32nd minute as a totally desolated United backline witnessed their team concede after consistent pressure through the midfield, with Phil Foden finding a loose Haaland who slotted the ball into De Gea’s goal.
The scene at the Etihad was one of absolute ecstasy because once again Haaland’s In the less, one touch shot showed what it is capable of doing. still new.
Only with the score line hanging in balance, did Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes engage more on the pitch. It’s never easy when going up against Marcus Rashford in a football match because he is a menace, and a danger against any opposition, especially when on the counter. But once more, the United pressure coupled with some slack marking on the Citry defenders prevented them from getting comfortable on the ball, even if they were ahead in terms of possession.
Amad has drastically improved.
In the second half, things took a turn for the worse. United goal set up a contest which lasted quite a bit, United went all out in the second half of the match first placing Amad Diallo over Antony in the 55th minute marking the beginning of a flurry of changes. It was only in the 70th minute that Amad made himself known and increased the attacking might of United.
It was Rashford to Diallo with an accurate ball. One would expect a player of Diallo’s caliber to be quick on his feet and provide some quality and that is exactly what he did, scoring a effort that was precise. All einding in him hitting top bins and forcing Ederson into conceding, making the United supporters rejoice on the sidelines. One goal dictates the control of the game, a strong fought effort from Amar turned the score line from 1-0 to make it one a piece.
Theatrical Victor .
And thus the match ended at one goal a piece and from there on things erupted.
Both teams had opportunities to register one or two goals but it was United who made the better of their moment in the crucial part of the match. During the 83rd minute, Bruno Fernandes set up Diallo with a fine pass after which he managed to dodge a tackle and netted his second goal of the game. United ended up leading the match 2-1 against Manchester City with minutes to go, silencing the crowd.
Manchester City fought valiantly against United in the closing stages. However, Riou’s defense stayed composed despite the exasperated attack. The match went to the final whistle, and the result was a well-deserved 2-1 victory for Manchester United, handing Pep Guardiola’s side one of their rare home defeats.
The result understandably caused a stir in the Premier League, as United now seem more viable candidates for the top spots. Erik ten Hag appreciated the perseverance shown by the entire squad and credited Amad Diallo for being the man of the moment as the winner. “Amad played extremely well today,” He has shown a lot of maturity as well as confidence. Ten Hag also said in his post-match comments, “This result builds faith in us and shows what we as a team can do”.
The result was disappointing to Manchester City. Guardiola admitted that their performance could have been tidier around the goal and that it was their own mistakes which allowed United back into the match.
“Genuinely it is a decent arrangement of opportunities for them. Or I should say a wonderful shift when they had one and that changed the game,” he said, adding That was far from the best we’ve seen from United, a strikingly barren performance especially in the opening half. What Gardner Means?” Said control the ball more and have greater respect for their possession.”
So there’s Gardner, why can’t Wales do that for these teams?”
Final Assessment
Amad Diallo’s last ditch strike secured three points for United against climber Manchester City on the last Sunday of the season. Amad Diallo’s last ditch strike secured three points for United against climber Manchester City on the last Sunday of the season. The win brought United closer to the title winning goal and showed that they are serious contenders for the championship under the guidance of Erik ten Hag. The battle between Mendi and Riyad Mahrez quickly escalated into a rivalry on its own as these two artistry driven players tangled up on numerous occasions and displays on Friday, black, and red dresses throughout the tournament.
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