City claim derby spoils, top 10-man United behind Aguero's winner
Sergio Aguero carried Manchester City past 10-man Manchester United, 1-0, with a fabulous shot smashed into the roof of the net to punctuate a dominant day out at the Etihad Stadium. It was City's fourth straight league win against their arch-rivals, and with it, City also closed the gap on Chelsea to six points to keep their title defense alive.
In truth, the final score was not reflective of the action on the field. City would have had more on the day had they not had three penalty appeals bafflingly waved away by referee Michael Oliver, who will not recall this match as one of his finest. And, with Manchester United's Chris Smalling sent off in the first half for two bone-headed fouls, United were chasing the game for much of the afternoon.
United came out attempting to play a high-tempo, slick passing game with Daley Blind sitting in front of the centerbacks as the fulcrum. And for a time, with Wayne Rooney immediately in front of him and the unlikely figure of Marouane Fellaini making the runs up top, United looked to be the better of the two sides.
With City's desire increasingly in question over a grim stretch that has seen them ejected from the Capital One League Cup and despairing of catching Chelsea after a bad loss to West Ham, it did seem that Manchester's old guard had a chance to swing their season back into the black.
But Louis van Gaal's adventurous lineup -- deploying Antonio Valencia at right back and giving young Adnan Januzaj a run out to support Robin van Persie and Angel Di Maria -- looked ragged after only ten minutes. By the time the whistle had sounded at the half, it was in shreds.
City's midfield, absent the injured David Silva, started to turn the screw and with Fernando and Yaya Toure consistently found joy with long balls into space. Aguero turned Valencia into the ground in the 20th minute to force David de Gea to make a series of strong saves. A thrilling, three-touch move let Jesus Navas in one on one with the keeper, only to see his shot stood up well by the Spaniard. A minute later, Aguero would run on to a long ball that de Gea bravely came out to kick away, leaving both men in a heap.
The game would change for good on the half hour when Smalling inexplicably blocked off Joe Hart, who was attempting to kick the ball out on a restart. It was a stupid foul to commit, and Oliver had no choice but to card him for it. Smalling would then compound matters eight minutes later when he scythed down James Milner needlessly, earning his second booking and an early trip to the showers. As Smalling trudged off, van Gaal's fury was evident and didn't even acknowledge the defender as he walked past him.
That left United with a makeshift backline, with Fellaini now deputizing as a centerback. And that almost cost United dearly when Fellaini kicked Aguero in his Achilles' with his back to goal. It was a clear foul and should have been a penalty, but Oliver inexplicably let it go. Then, at the end of the half, Marcos Rojo clattered into Toure after Stefan Jovetic had chipped the back four. Again, Oliver declined to point to the spot.
Rojo would actually have to come off right after the break with what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder. That depleted United's backline even further, with young Paddy McNair chucked on in an attempt to stem the tide. It didn't work, and when Aguero was sandwiched between Carrick and Fellaini in a clear-as-day penalty shout (again, not given) you did start to wonder if United might escape with something thanks to the ref's charity.
The dam finally burst when Toure got onto a slack ball and found Gael Clichy at the endline, which was swiftly cut back for Aguero to slam home on the half-volley.
United had a few tricks still left, with van Persie forcing Hart to make a solid kick-save at the near post in the 70th minute. Then, with City looking jaded, Di Maria let fly with a stinging shot that was heading to the top corner after Rooney nutmegged Kompany that Hart did well to save at full stretch.
Had United managed to keep all eleven men on the field, they might well have nicked something. City continue to look a frustratingly casual side that have yet to fully live up to all of their enormous talent. And United, despite their horrid start, do look more like the team of old -- or at least, closer to the type of side put out at Old Trafford before David Moyes' doomed tenure.
Still, the gap between these two teams remains wide. As Manuel Pellegrini took pains to point out this weekend, City have won two titles and finished as runners-up in the past three seasons. United, in contrast, remain very much a work in progress.
