City took all 3 points of the match after an outstanding first-half display, led by the inspired showing of the Belgian Mourinho dumped while at Chelsea. “That is the only thing I can say”.
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Asked if he was disappointed by the first half or encouraged by the second, Mourinho said: “Both”.
“We lost the ball very, very easy”.
“But he is still young and all the jealous people talking about him will swallow every word they said about him because he will only get better”.
He was criticised by Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher for an ill-disciplined performance on Monday night. “So it was not (just) Mickey (Mkhitaryan) and Jesse, it was much more than Mickey and Jesse”.
Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho scored during the first half as City threated to run riot, but an error from debutant Claudio Bravo in the visitors’ goal allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to reduce the deficit.
Iheanacho slotted home after a shot from De Bruyne rebounded off the post and straight to his feet, and he admitted there was some good fortune involved.
Ibrahimovic’s arrival has cost Rashford his first-team place, but he made a big impact off the bench in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City and his Swedish team-mate believes the future will be his.
But although United improved following the half-time introductions of 18-year-old Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera, they could not find an equaliser.
“And it’s not to punish them, it’s just to decide in relation to what I have”.
Neville added: “I think in certain games when you expect Manchester United to play, you will still see them play with two in midfield and Pogba will be one of the two”.
“Some of the boys felt the dimension of the game, the focus and attention that comes with a derby”. It’s hard to predict.
“So you never know the way players are going to react, especially when you don’t know them so well”.
“It’s my fault because I’m the manager and it’s always my fault because it’s my choice”.
Mourinho blamed referee Mark Clattenburg for not awarding a penalty after a rash challenge on Rooney by Bravo.
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With Sergio Aguero suspended, Guardiola said he had other options – but opted for Iheanacho to show his players what he wanted. In spite of his arm being behind his body, he knows that the cross is not going in his face, it’s going in his back, so he drops his elbow.
