Man Utd news: Manchester rivals play out goalless draw in snoozefest derby

Manchester United and Manchester City could only manage a goalless draw on Sunday as the Manchester derby turned out to be a snoozefest.

The famous rivals barely got out of first gear in a decidedly low-energy contest, serving up only a handful of half-hearted chances in City captain Kevin De Bruyne’s last-ever derby.

Ruben Amorim and his charges now turn their attention to Thursday’s crunch Europa League quarter-final clash with Lyon, with the competition their only hope of making next season’s Champions League.

Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews a dull affair at Old Trafford.

Mixed feelings ahead of derby

“Never in the field of Manchester derby conflict was there so little to be bothered about by so many.” – Winston Churchill, House of Commons, 1940.

Alright, it wasn't Churchill. It was me on Sunday morning, nursing a bit of a hangover if truth be told and debating with myself what the point of it all was.

Then I gave myself a slap on the chops and a bit of a shake. It's City, Pep, oil money. The 'Noisy Neighbours', Franny Lee, Phil Foden's #47 tattoo (presumably in case he forgets his number).

I don't like them. Is it jealousy? Yeah, it probably is to an extent. Am I delighting in their malaise this season? Well, yes, but it's bittersweet as Liverpool are likely to put the Premier League to bed in the coming weeks, even after their defeat at Fulham, and I blame that on City too.

Throw in the fact that there's a trip to Lyon in the Thursday Night Cup on the horizon and the priority on Sunday was really not to see anyone else sent to the treatment room, particularly if they play in our back three.

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Sloppy start from both sides

It was almost a lightning start from the hosts as Alejandro Garnacho raced clear of the City defence inside the first minute and was dragged down in a tangle of legs by Ruben Dias just outside the area.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes took aim from 19 yards out, but his effort was blocked by a baby blue wall and put out for a corner which City survived.

Andre Onana decided to give me my first dose of heartburn for the day with some customary awful distribution before Foden fired wide of the Cameroonian's near post prior to being cleaned out (fairly) by Casemiro.

Things were less frenetic than sloppy, but Omar Marmoush's well-timed run certainly needed a good read and block from Maguire in order to thwart danger.

The bulk of the game was being played in the United half, with maestro De Bruyne – thankfully leaving these shores at the end of the season – firing tamely at Onana for the first shot on target in the game.

United, for their part, were sitting deep, looking to bypass the City press and exploit the pace of Garnacho and Patrick Dorgu down the left.

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Rivals dish up tame first half

Garnacho found some space to play with as United broke again, the Argentine cutting back for the onrushing Dorgu, but the final touch was heavy and the chance went begging.

Fernandes was doing Fernandes things, a delightful chest and turn creating the break that ended with Dorgu missing wildly.

Ugarte then did brilliantly to win the ball back in midfield and Garnacho was off again. The youngster's ball into Fernandes was a little short, though, so the Portuguese floated the ball to the far post where Ugarte, who had sprung out of the earlier tackle and made his box run, fluffed his lines.

It really was glorious from Fernandes, who was starting to dictate.

At the other end, Onana went full Superman as he leapt at a Foden corner and got nowhere near it, with Noussair Mazraoui on hand to clear the danger.

The game fell into a bit of a lull after that, aside from an Ilkay Gundogan effort flashing narrowly wide, and seemed to be waiting for a bit of magic as the half-time whistle blew.

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Second half fails to spark

Similar to the first half, a City player was carded for a foul on Garnacho inside the opening minute, with Bernardo Silva ticked off for an accumulation of fouls.

City should have gone ahead when Marmoush and Casemiro came together and the ball fell kindly to Foden, but Mazraoui was alert and his tackle saw the ball come back off the England man and to safety.

Casemiro rose well in the City box not long after, although he was unable to find Hojlund, and De Bruyne again fired weakly at Onana.

The spark was still absent without leave, clearly.

Guardiola and Amorim blinked at the same time, Jeremy Doku on for Foden and Victor Lindelöf replacing Harry Maguire, the latter presumably being wrapped in cotton wool with midweek in mind.

There were loud shouts for a penalty when Dorgu's low centre was bundled safe by Dias. However, replays showed that there was no arm involved as he flailed on the floor like a beached fish.

Marmoush subsequently had a free-kick punched clear by Onana and the deadlock remained intact as the clock kept on ticking, with 25 minutes plus stoppages to go.

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Snoozefest ends with a whimper

Dalot was booked for holding Doku back, allowing De Bruyne another opportunity to cause danger, but his cross went out for a corner.

This led to another ring of the 'United always concede from corners' klaxon as Marmoush unleashed a wallop from 25 yards that Onana beat out with his fists.

Amorim got his dice out again, readying Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount while Ugarte smashed just wide after more great work from his captain. Ugarte departed along with Hojlund, who had another frustrating display.

Pep countered with Jack Grealish and his headband thrown in alongside Rico Lewis. Gundogan and Nico O'Reilly were withdrawn.

Mount was quickly carded, possibly before having a touch of the ball and certainly before completing a pass.

Dorgu managed a cut-back for Zirkzee, whose shot was parried by Ederson, and Mount's rebound was blocked by Lewis as City scrambled.

United were trying and broke again after another lovely Fernandes ball through the City line, Garnacho's shot deflecting out for a corner.

Casemiro hit the deck as Fernandes swung the ball over but, despite loud penalty claims, Mateo Kovacic's challenge was fair.

Leny Yoro's next challenge wasn't, the Frenchman taking one for the team as his man got the wrong side just inside his own half, and then it was all over.

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Takeaways from the game

If the game was a cup of tea, it would have been weak and lukewarm. Or made with one of those tea bags you find in your Premier Inn hotel room, where you usually need to use two for any decent cuppa.

Fernandes was excellent and the source of anything and everything good for the hosts, but that has been standard for the last couple of months if not years truth be told.

Also, spare a mention for Casemiro, who was everywhere. He made a ridiculous 11 tackles in the game, winning seven of them and stifling the City attack.

It was the most by a United player in a Premier League game since Patrice Evra against Portsmouth back in August of 2008.

In the end, however, there was no fighting on the beaches from the hosts – Winston wouldn't really have approved. Let's hope the upcoming expedition into France has more teeth.

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