Etihad Stadium (2): A Derby Match with No Concessions
Etihad Stadium. A derby where not an inch can be yielded.
The match kicks off with Manchester United having the first attack, but it's Manchester City who truly gets the game underway.
Beep!!!
"You crazy bastard!!!"
"Don't you have any team spirit, you fucker!!!!!!"
The play turns brutal right from the start, with a card shown before the tenth minute is even up.
Ryan Cherki races after Ban Yeager's advancing dribble, but unable to close the gap, he lunges in with a tackle from behind.
Maybe because his head hasn't fully overheated yet. The tackle wraps lightly around Ban Yeager's leg, as if appealing that there's no malice and he's willing to take the card, followed by an immediate apology.
But of course, such actions can't just be forgiven.
The referee agrees, flashing a yellow card, but the real issue is with Manchester United's players.
"Everyone, calm down. Getting this heated only plays into their hands."
Ban Yeager, the one fouled, tells his teammates it's fine and to cool off, but his words fall on deaf ears.
Ironically, this stems from how much Manchester United's players treasure and respect Ban Yeager.
They simply can't tolerate an opposing team—Manchester City, no less—hitting their Ban Yeager with a studs-up challenge.
He's the ace everyone acknowledges for his skill, but not yet fully seen as a leader.
At just 18, it's not that his teammates dismiss him due to age, but the effect can't be entirely ignored.
It might have been less heated if captain Harry Maguire were on the pitch...
Noussair Mazraoui, wearing the armband as vice-captain and tasked with guiding the team today, is just as fired up as the others—if not more.
Beep!!!
Noussair Mazraoui fails to control his temper and gets sent off.
It doesn't end there—the two teams erupt into a brawl.
Beep!! Beep beep beep!!! Beeeeep!!!
The problem? No players on either side capable of cooling down the overheated squads.
Manchester United's captain Harry Maguire is out with a virus suspicion.
Manchester City's captain Rodri is sidelined for a month with an ankle sprain.
The atmosphere spirals into uncontrollable hostility.
Beep! Beep!!!
Such mind games and scuffles never end well for anyone.
A barrage of yellow cards rains down.
Both teams suffer significant losses in the long race of the 38-round league.
Not just the long term—this match too.
The carded players turn passive, unable to play at full capacity.
Before halftime even ends, at the 35-minute mark, both teams make double substitutions.
Ruben Dias IN, Abdoukodir Husanov OUT
Nico O'Reilly IN, Ryan Cherki OUT
Godwill Kukonki IN, Mado Murcia OUT
Jaidon Kamason IN, Shea Lacey OUT
The overheated chaos leads both sides to an ultra-cautious approach.
Halftime ends with the score at 0-0.
For the players and especially the fans watching, it's the worst half imaginable.
The score's 0-0, but Manchester United is far from drawing.
Down to ten men after Noussair Mazraoui's sending off, they're critically short-handed.
In the second half, Manchester City targets that gap, receiving Pep Guardiola's instructions in the locker room.
Manchester United must plug it with their remaining ten— an incredibly tough task.
The second half resumes with 11 vs 10.
As a Manchester derby, fans from both sides—and even rivals—watch with high expectations.
It might be amusing if they're fighting instead of playing, racking up yellows.
But the consensus remains: a sloppy 0-0 with no goals.
And as expected, around the 65th minute of the second half.
Number 47, heir to David Silva and now Manchester City's core: Phil Foden scores, echoing through Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City's exploitation of their numerical advantage is shocking.
Pep Guardiola issuing such orders stuns football fans worldwide.
They dedicate their man advantage to one player.
A bold investment assuming no numerical edge from the start.
Subbed-on Nico O'Reilly is tasked solely with marking Ban Yeager.
Nico Gonzalez, Ban Yeager's previous marker, keeps his role.
Two midfielders on one player seals Manchester United's attacks at the source.
Ban Yeager handles United's attacks from start to finish—block him, and no real chances emerge.
Score stays 1-0.
Regular time hits 90 minutes, and the 5 added minutes are nearly up.
Beep!!!
Finally, Manchester United's last free kick.
Roony Bardghji caught offside, free kick from just behind halfway.
"Everyone up!!!"
Last chance anyway—all United players flood forward into the box.
Mike Menyang vacates goal to join the set piece.
Many away fans have already left the stadium.
Viewers at home switch channels or tend to other things.
Even United's players on the pitch hold little hope, lacking confidence to resolve it themselves.
Thus, the defending City players seem slightly lax.
"Hoo..."
For the one player who's waited the entire match for this split-second gap—now over 100 minutes including stoppage—it's the most anticipated moment.