Manchester United rallied to score three goals in the second half and emerge victorious 3-2 in the 176th edition of the Manchester derby today. When Manchester City went up 2-0, it looked like the Citizens were going to celebrate clinching a Premier League title today at their home ground, over their hatred rivals.
However, the home side just kept blowing scoring opportunities that would have iced the game. Now the title will have to wait at least one more week. When City did get shots on target, they ran into David de Gea, the goalkeeper who is, in the minds of many, the best in Europe.
City dominated this game, owning possession 65-35, shots 20-5 and shots on targets 6-4. However, they don’t have David de Gea. Watch what the Spaniard does here:
THIS David de Gea save ?? pic.twitter.com/vtoAkQgXXX
— The Notorious D.L.T (@George_DLT) April 7, 2018
De Gea with a stunning save to deny Aguero's 200th City goal ?? #MCIMUN pic.twitter.com/kHBrJRneZZ
— ??442oons?? (@442oons) April 7, 2018
Sergio Aguero, who started on the bench today and saw his first action in a few weeks, was robbed of what would have been a milestone goal.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was asked just what he told his players at half time to inspire such an incredible turnaround in this one.
“I told my midfield players that they didn’t need to improve because they were playing very well, even in the first half. All of them. I think it is very difficult to be a midfield player against Manchester City,” Mourinho said.
“Paul, Ander [Herrera] and [Nemanja] Matic were playing really well but I needed more from [Jesse] Lingard and Alexis [Sanchez]. I need them to connect our good football in midfield and especially I need my defenders to be a little more confident. With just a little bit of pressure from City they were kicking the ball, they were nervous, they were not bringing the ball with quality to my midfielders.”
Defender Chris Smalling said that Mourinho told the team at half time not to look like “clowns” once it was all over, and that’s what got them fired up.
“At half time we were feeling sorry for ourselves, we wanted to go out there and play with pride and thought we fully deserved it in the end,” the United defender told Sky Sports.
“The first half was terrible, we dropped off didn’t play our game, and could have been out of sight.
“The manager didn’t have to say much at half time as we knew ourselves as players it was a poor performance. He said that we didn’t want to be the clowns standing there watching them get their title.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune corporation blogging community Chicago Now.
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