Saturday’s goal against Manchester City represented Iheanacho’s first for City in all competitions this season.
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Kevin de Bruyne’s cool finish and Iheanacho’s tap-in after the Belgian hit the post put City in complete control as they outclassed Mourinho’s Manchester United for most of the opening 45 minutes.
To come and win against a Jose Mourinho team is tough.
“Of course it’s important for us – especially the first-half performance for our belief. That is the only thing I can say”, Mourinho said, coming close to admitting he may have erred with his starting line-up in the 2-1 derby defeat by City.
“But this is football and sometimes players, they disappoint managers, and sometimes players, they give us great surprises”.
Of Mkhitaryan and Lingard, who disappointed from the start on Saturday, Mourinho added: “The performances are the deciding factor”.
“We played good. We have the ball, we lose the ball, we win the ball again quickly”, Guardiola said after the match. The boss went on to explain that he trusts Rashford “completely” and that he knows his “future will be absolutely brilliant”.
“For me the next big game is against Feyenoord and the next game he is going to play. We were a team that had the courage and honesty and dignity to chase with pride the result which I think we deserved – we deserved a goal in the second half”.
“Ultimately, it means City have bragging rights this week, and that I won’t appear in Manchester as much as I would have done if United had won”. Asked if players should be anxious for their places, he added: “If you are asking me if some of them are going to play against Feyenoord, then no”.
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“Ander was phenomenal in his attitude”. “Not just they can dominate like he has done previously in other clubs, but also in the second half to withstand pressure and long balls”.
