Pep Guardiola enjoyed victory over his old nemesis Jose Mourinho as his Manchester City side won 2-1 at Manchester United in Saturday’s eagerly anticipated derby at Old Trafford.
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He was sent on at half-time against Manchester City as Man United trailed 2-1 behind Pep Guardiola’s side and has impressed Mourinho, persuading the manager to play him in the Feyenoord fixture on Thursday.
Speaking to the press, Mourinho complimented the youngster on his performance in the derby and was heard saying, “For me the next big game is against Feyenoord and the next game [Rashford] is going to play”. I trust him completely. “This game [the derby], I know clearly what happened in the first-half, I know clearly what happened in the second-half”. We started the game with some players really below the normal level, in terms of their concentration, of their mental ability to play a game of this speed because you need to be sharp in the way you think, the way you play. First half we were better – in the second half it was hard.
Of Mkhitaryan and Lingard, who disappointed from the start on Saturday, Mourinho added: “The performances are the deciding factor”.
Mourinho said: “I didn’t want to make two changes after 20 minutes and destroy them”. 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”. This is the first game we have not played the best.
Pep Guardiola says he made a decision to start 19 year old Nigerian youngster Kelechi Iheanacho in Saturday’s Manchester derby to show his players that he wanted to win the game.
“When they played Fernando immediately after a couple of minutes, it is because they felt what everyone was thinking: we were in control, we were much more unsafe”.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is certain his young team mate Marcus Rashford has a bright future in store, and told the club’s TV channel on Sunday that one day Rashford will “take over everything”.
“Let’s speak for example, Mkhitaryan, how many big matches has he played?” The kid Jesse – how many big matches? The contest saw the visitors, particularly in the first half, again produce the sort of slick, passing football with which their new manager has been associated.
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‘He coped with many situations.
