Manchester United vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today
Follow all the reaction from Old Trafford after the Premier League champions took all three points in the derby
Under-fire Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces fresh scrutiny and pressure after Manchester City provided their latest Old Trafford humbling.
A fortnight on from the embarrassing 5-0 home humiliation at the hands of rivals Liverpool, the Red Devils fell to another one-sided defeat as they returned to the scene of the crime for the 186th Manchester derby.
Pep Guardiola’s men cruised to a victory far more comfortable than the 2-0 scoreline suggested, but Eric Bailly’s own goal and a preventable Bernardo Silva effort was enough to ease past United.
Solskjaer had called the loss to Liverpool the darkest day of his near three-year reign and the manner of this loss to their neighbours will lead to renewed pressure during the international break.
Manchester United vs Man City
Make no mistake, though, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City also come into this afternoon’s derby facing some pressure, following last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
You have to go back to December 2018 for the last time City lost back to back Premier League matches, and if they were to lose again today Manchester United would go level on points with them in the table.
Team news coming up shortly.
Manchester United vs Man City
Will this afternoon be Déjà vu for Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?
Two weeks ago, United went into a clash against one of their fierce rivals on the back of a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal against Atalanta, only for any hope that they had reached a turning point to be torn down in an embarrassing defeat.
Concerns that Ronaldo’s late heroics had papered over the cracks that were showing in United’s performance, highlighted, among others, by Paul Scholes, were brutally exposed as Liverpool stormed to a shocking 5-0 win at Old Trafford.
Ahead of this meeting with City, United and Solskjaer are pretty much back where they were a fortnight ago, with questions surrounding the team following the 2-2 draw against Atalanta on Tuesday night. Again, the warnings have followed: United can’t expect to compete with City if they defend as they did in Bergamo.
Will United have learned their lesson? Or will they continue to follow their weary script? If you haven’t read it already, Mark Critchley’s piece following this week’s Atalanta draw perfectly encapsulates the circles that United continue to turn in.
How to write a Manchester United match report
Cristiano Ronaldo yet again rescued his team as United continue to find sillier, stupider but always slightly different ways to win, lose and draw football matches, writes a weary Mark Critchley
Manchester United vs Man City
Manchester United have defensive issues ahead of their Premier League derby clash with Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Raphael Varane faces four to five weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury suffered during the Champions League game against Atalanta, while Victor Lindelof faces a fitness test on the knock that forced him to miss Tuesday’s 2-2 draw.
Paul Pogba serves the second game of a three-match domestic ban but Fred should return in midfield after being benched in Italy.
City centre-back Aymeric Laporte is suspended after being sent off in last week’s loss to Crystal Palace.
Manager Pep Guardiola will also check on Kyle Walker after the England full-back suffered a foot injury against Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Winger Ferran Torres (foot) is City’s only other notable absentee.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage as Manchester United host Manchester City in the Premier League in a derby that could decide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s future.
The beleaguered head coach somewhat alleviated the pressure on his position with victory over Tottenham last weekend, which saw one of the main contenders to replace him, Antonio Conte, instead take the helm at Spurs.
A 2-2 draw at Atalanta did little to ease concerns over Solskjaer’s tactical acumen, though, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-gasp intervention once against saving United’s blushes.
The Norwegian will have to contend with problems in defence, too, with Raphael Varane ruled out and Harry Maguire out of form.
City, meanwhile, recovered their momentum during the week in a 4-1 thrashing of Club Brugge.
Pep Guardiola’s side had endured a difficult past week up until that point, having been knockout out of the Carabao Cup on penalties before suffering a shock 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace at the Etihad.
That defeat left City five points behind leaders Chelsea, and they can ill afford to cede any more ground in the title race.
Follow all the action live throughout the afternoon.
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