MANCHESTER UNITED played 70 minutes against ten men in their derby clash with Man City and still left with nothing.
A Phil Foden red card isn’t even the main talking point after the Manchester derby – it’s should Erling Haaland‘s winning goal have stood?
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Even so, United played better while they were battling 11 men than they did subsequently against ten.
So what did we learn about Michael Carrick‘s troops following the derby defeat? With four points from their first four games, the landscape is changing fast at Old Trafford.
Wrong on the right
After starting all 38 last season, it took three Premier League games for left back Luke Shaw to drop like a fly this season. That cost United, with left back liability Patrick Dorgu responsible for turning attack into defence for City’s goal.
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United have issues on the other side, too. Diogo Dalot was unconvincing at both ends, failing to get on the end of a perceptive pass from Bruno Fernandes and then twice playing his side into trouble with daft attempted lay-offs.
Dalot was also lazily flagged offside. Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha immediately gave him a ticking off.
This was Dalot’s 250th appearance for United and he is into his ninth season at the club. United have not had a right back who has come close to elite since Gary Neville before his crippling ankle injury in March 2007. That is almost 20 years.
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Monday 14 September
Leeds
20:00
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Friday 18 September
Brentford
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Chelsea
Saturday 19 September
Spurs
12:30
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Villa
Brighton
15:00
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Sunday 13 September
Man Utd
0 – 1
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Man City
Coventry
0 – 5
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Saturday 12 September
Sunderland
0 – 2
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Noussair Mazraoui has not convinced in either of his starts against Hull City and Sabah and Dalot wears the number two for a reason. This was additional evidence that United have to be in the market for a high-class right back, as well as a left back, next summer.
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FODE RAGE
Phil Foden sent off for lashing out at Bruno Fernandes in Manchester derby
Carrick reactive, not proactive
United supporters sang Benjamin Sesko’s name to the old Andy Cole song as the Slovenian striker warmed up in the second half. Michael Carrick ignored them.
Sesko did not emerge for another 19 minutes. By that time, Erling Haaland had put City ahead and United were now chasing an equaliser, rather than an opener.
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It was clear in the first half United again lacked a focal point. Carrick had 22 minutes to assess them against ten men before the interval and decided to continue with a strikerless side.
There was an argument to introduce Sesko at the interval. By abiding by the ‘give it 15 minutes’ cliche, Carrick left it too late. Haaland prodded in on the hour.
Fernandes’ theatrics fail to work in his favour
Officials almost always give Bruno Fernandes short shrift when he is on the deck but it was impossible to ignore Phil Foden’s reaction.
Fernandes was snide to boot Foden a couple of times while he was prone, provoking a rash flick and milking it.
However much Foden hurt Fernandes, it was a red card offence from Foden. Yet it did not galvanise Fernandes, whose ball-striking was sloppy and his influence not as profound as in the corresponding fixture last season.
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If anything, Fernandes seemed slightly fazed by the stick City fans gave him as he prepared to take a corner in front of them. He hit the first man.
Fernandes eventually snapped in the 78th minute when he barracked the dozy Dorgu for an errant pass.