Manchester United 0-1 Manchester City: result and report

Report

Manchester City won the derby 1-0 at Manchester United despite playing more than an hour with ten men. United had far more shots and far more of the attacking pressure. Still, they never created better chances than City, and that is why the result held.

The game turned on two moments. Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute, which left City a player short for the rest of the match.

Even so, City found the only goal. Erling Haaland scored in the 60th minute, and United could not answer it despite having half an hour to chase the game.

Manchester United: plenty of shots, few clear openings

At first glance, United's numbers look commanding. They had 11 shots to City's three and 12 key passes to three. They also made 70 dangerous attacks to City's 31.

Yet the quality of those chances tells a different story. United finished with 0.83 xG to City's 0.77, an almost even split despite the huge gap in shots. City created two big chances to United's one, so the ten men still carved out the clearer openings when they did go forward.

United also tested the goalkeeper only three times, and City saved all three.

The margins were still fine. United hit the woodwork twice, while City struck it once, so a slightly different bounce could have changed the afternoon.

Kobbie Mainoo was named player of the match with a 7.73 rating, though his performance came in a defeat. That suggests United's midfield did plenty right, even if the final pass and finish rarely followed.