Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report
Manchester United produced a late stunning performance at Old Trafford to shock their noisy neighbours, Manchester City 2-1 to go just one point behind the Cityzens on 38 points and third on the log.
Pep Guardiola’s men appeared to be closing the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal after substitute Jack Grealish headed them in front from Kevin de Bruyne’s cross on the hour, only for United to send their fans into raptures with a superb recovery.
Erik ten Hag’s side drew level in contentious fashion with 12 minutes left as Bruno Fernandes scored despite the presence of Marcus Rashford in a perceived offside position, City’s protests that he had interfered with play was ignored despite the flag going up.
Rashford was the central figure again four minutes later when he swept in substitute Alejandro Garnacho’s cross at the Stretford End to move United to within one point of City, who remain five points adrift of Arsenal.
United left Etihad Stadium in early October chastened and bruised following a 6-3 thrashing, a scoreline that actually flattered them – but Ten Hag insisted lessons had been learned.
And so they have. This win means United have lost only one of their past 19 games in all competitions and are now on City’s heels in third place in the table, barely credible after that derby beating and a dreadful start to the season that saw them lose at home to Brighton before being overwhelmed at Brentford.
The debate over Fernandes’ equaliser will go on, but what is inescapable is the significant improvement under the disciplinarian and tactically astute Ten Hag to the point where United are looking solid in the top four and may even be casting a glance at leaders Arsenal, who are six points ahead of them.
The sight of the diminutive Luke Shaw winning a series of headers in among Erling Haaland and others in stoppage time and Raphael Varane fist-pumping and whipping up the fans at the final whistle was a sign of the renewed belief and confidence surging through United.
The reborn Rashford was not deterred by missing two first-half chances to pounce and turn Garnacho’s cross past exposed City keeper Ederson for the winner.
United’s recovery has been slow but assured under Ten Hag and the scenes at the final whistle demonstrated that a giant that had lost its way is slowing finding itself again.
Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp’s immediate reaction to Liverpool’s heavy 3-0 defeat by Brightonon Saturday was short and to the point. “It was bad. Really bad.”
The visitors were outplayed from start to finish at Amex Stadium, producing an alarmingly disjointed, toothless and lop-sided display that leaves them way off the pace in the Premier League.
Brentford’s win at home to Bournemouth on Saturday evening saw the Reds drop to ninth in the table, 16 points behind league leaders Arsenal having played a game more.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the 3-0 loss on the south coast, Klopp said: “I can’t remember a worse game. I honestly can’t.
“Brighton played very well. They deserved to win. It was a very organised team against a not very organised team.
“Of course we’re very concerned. How can you not be after a game like this?”
City, trying to recover from Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final loss at Southampton, but were not their usual fluent selves but their unhappiness at the result will be even more acute because of their discontent at the decision that went against them.
RESULTS
Premier League
Man 2-1 Man City
Brighton 3-0 Liverpool
Everton 1-2 Southampton
N’Forest 2-0 Leicester
Wolves 1-0 west Ham
Brentford 2-0 Bo’mouth
U20-AFCON
Ethiopia 0-o0 Mo’bique
DR Congo 0-0 Uganda
Ivory Coast 0-1 Senegal
