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Manchester United fell 3-0 to Manchester City at Old Trafford in what was an embarrassing derby day capitulation.
While United started the game off brightly, a Rasmus Hojlund foul on Rodri in the first half saw City handed a penalty, which was coolly dispatched by Erling Haaland. While there was a bit of back and forth in the first half, the second saw City dismantle United, outclassing them in every department.
Haaland added a second unmarked at the back post to fire a header home past Andre Onana, while Phil Foden turned in the Norwegian's cross to make it three late in the second half. United looked worse as the game went on, and with that in mind, here are three things Daily Star Sport reckon Man United and Ten Hag got wrong in their Sunday afternoon clash with their bitter rivals…
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Profligate in front of goal
If you don't take your chances in football, you can't have any qualms if you don't win a game. In the opening exchanges of the contest at Old Trafford, United looked to be troubling City on the counter, but squandered a number of opportunities.
Rasmus Hojlund was presented with a golden opportunity to level proceedings after he gave away a penalty for a foul on Rodri which saw City take the lead through Erling Haaland.
However, the Danish forward, while sprinting through on goal, took a heavy touch away from Ederson in the box, forcing him wide. And from there, Bruno Fernandes could only blaze over.
Then late in the first half, midfielder Scott McTominay had a thunderous effort saved by Ederson which, had it been placed either side of the Brazilian, might have equalised. Then in the second half, United's best chance came through Marcus Rashford, who could only fire wide from close range. United weren't bad in the first half, but they squandered their opportunities, and failed to punish City with their chances.
Not starting Raphael Varane
"Varane, Reguilon on the bench, are those decisions to do with form, or fitness?" asked Sky Sports' Patrick Davison to Erik Ten Hag before the game. "Tactics," responded Ten Hag. "So Evans above Varane on tactics," replied Davison, to which Ten Hag said: "Yes, exactly."
What did you make of the Manchester derby? Let us know in the comments section below
Now, when it comes to footballing knowledge, I'll bow to Erik ten Hag's tactical understanding of the game. That said, there's absolutely no world in which a fit Raphael Varane is worse than the three centre-backs, Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, United started.
If Varane was fit enough to be on the bench, then he was probably fit enough to play. Now, Ten Hag's comments could have been a smokescreen for some other issue. But if they weren't, that's a slightly alarming decision to opt to start Evans over Varane against Haaland (who scored his second goal completely unmarked at the back post with a header by the way).
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Mount on, Amrabat off, control lost
After the break, United subbed off midfielder Sofyan Amrabat for Mason Mount, and ceded almost all control of the remainder of the game. Before the break, United had a sustained level of pressure that could have seen them equalise.
But after the break, they took Amrabat, who was on a yellow (so the substitution was kind of understandable), to bring on Mount.
However, the new midfield of McTominay, Christian Eriksen and Mount could not find anyway to stop City's rhythm. In fact, with Mount on the pitch, a player who United side for huge money in the summer, they looked worse. City dismantled United in the second half, and never really looked troubled after the break.
- Erik ten Hag
- Manchester United FC
- Manchester City FC
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