Manchester United and Manchester City sleepwalked through a drab 0-0 derby draw that left pundits both disappointed and fuming.
Both sides’ troubles this season were on full display as they struggled to fashion clear-cut chances. Manchester United seemed comfortable enough to come away with a draw and it showed. Manchester City, on their part, missed a chance to leapfrog Chelsea into fourth place. The club continue to sit outside the Champions League spots in what has been a trying season for Pep Guardiola.
After the game, pundit Roy Keane bemoaned what was “a real lack of quality.” The Manchester United legend felt that the two sides, particularly his old club, needed to take more risks, rather than settle for a draw. “When you’re playing for a big club, you have the responsibility to win football matches! Isn’t that what we’re here for?”
Similarly, Gary Neville criticised the pedestrian performance of the two clubs.
“It wasn’t good enough and I am disappointed,” said Neville. “It’s a Manchester derby and it should have more blood, thunder and risk than that.”
What did Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim say?
“We had some chances to win the game,” said Amorim. “We tried to use the pitch in transitions. We had some moments with the ball and pushed. If you look at the game, you cannot separate the draw. We were closer to the goal, they had more possession, that is normal.”
“Ederson did quite well because we had some moments, things we didn’t do against Nottingham Forest,” he added.
What did City boss Pep Guardiola say?
Pep Guardiola acknowledged that his team created very few chances and said they were content with the draw.
“We had control,” said Guardiola. “We were not in the right spots to hurt them. Always I have been here, United have been an incredible transition team against us. We take the point. It would’ve been better to win.”
United will be back in action away to Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final. Meanwhile, Manchester City, who have exited Europe, will have some time to rest before facing Crystal Palace at the Etihad next Saturday.
