Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho set each other up for goals in the first 36 minutes, during which Guardiola’s City team gave a footballing clinic in passing and movement at Old Trafford.
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Iheanacho’s 36th-minute strike ensured that City manager Pep Guardiola enjoyed victory over his former nemesis Jose Mourinho in their first encounter since 2013.
Wayne Rooney was among the United players looking off the pace and frustration got to the United captain when he gave Guardiola a little push as he attempted to take the ball off the City manager, who was holding onto the ball at a United throw-in. I think in the first half we deserved to be losing and in the second half we don’t deserve to be losing.
The Nigeria global won the flick on and De Bruyne streamed clear, away from a switched-off Daley Blind to slot past David de Gea.
The match begun in a different way in the second half, with Mourinho understanding his erros in the starting XI, replacing Lingand and Mkhytaryan with Rashford and Herrera after the half time.
After 20′ Guardiola undestood he had to make some changes if he wanted to seal the win, and replaced firstly Iheanacho with a holding midfielder, Fernando, and then a exhausted and not very effective Sterling with Leroy Sane, at his debut and with energy in this legs and mind to hit again in counter attack, holding also the balls in the Red Devils defensive zone to relieve Manchester United pressure.
Bravo looked a bag of nerves and almost presented United with an equaliser before halftime and when Mourinho sought a more positive approach from his side with a double substitution at halftime, youngster Marcus Rashford made an immediate impact.
De Bruyne was the provider for Iheanacho’s goal, finding space in United’s area to drift on to his left foot and drive a low shot against the post.
The 31-year-old has played ever Premier League game under Pep Guardiola so far, scoring against West Ham.
“Clearly disappointed with the first half, disappointed with some really poor individual performances that affect the overall performance of the team”.
“We have to take some good things”.
After that mistake was rectified too belatedly, Mourinho turned to heaping opprobrium on referee Mark Clattenburg, suggesting that the referee was responsible for the defeat by turning down two penalty appeals. “Claudio Bravo is a penalty and a red card”, Mourinho said.
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“We’re happy. These guys have a heart”.
