United is only the second force in Manchester, City made that clear once again in the city duel. With the Red Devils, on the other hand, hardly anything is recognizable.
Possibly some supporters of the English record champion had not even prepared for a full 90 minutes, so determinedly they streamed after the 0:3 by Phil Foden in the 80th minute in the direction of the exits of Old Trafford, the famous “Theater of Dreams”, in which triple winners Manchester City once again made it clear to the former dominator of the city that it could hardly be more sky blue by now.
Coach Erik ten Hag had stabilized the Red Devils in promising phases last season and even led them to the League Cup, their first title win after a five-year drought. However, United is waiting in vain for the next step. In the current season, it has become more like two back again.
The first home game after the death of club legend Sir Bobby Charlton was the clearest indication so far that both structure and ideas are no longer at all clear at the former serial champions under ten Hag. United looked completely haphazard at times. Haphazard. Indecisive. And that under a coach who comes from Ajax Amsterdam, where clear principles and a structured handwriting are normally a given. But things are currently even worse for the Dutch record champion.
The 53-year-old Dutchman said afterwards about his clear defeat in Manchester that his team had “played well,” that they only fell behind due to a penalty, had a good chance to equalize and could have won the game; that they were generally “on the way up” due to the good results of the past weeks, and that the “team spirit was very good. It looked as if United’s coach had seen a different game after their fifth defeat in only their tenth matchday.
City even seemed to be holding back
Because City, after a first half that was indeed still relatively open, was able to shift up a gear or two easily and with great effort, which United was so overwhelmed with that it automatically had to shift down a gear or two. Right into neutral. After the final whistle, only the celebrating fans of the former “noisy neighbors” were loud, while the United players were mainly thankful for empty seats.
Ten Hag then played for time, which may still be possible after a quarter of the season, although the Champions League places are already eight points away. “We have to be patient,” the coach urged. “I’m sure we’ll be better when we get some of our injured players back.” But even they should be seen to have an idea of how to play if there is not to be the next display against City.
