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Latest Update: 60’ Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United What a turnaround in this game. Mourinho has got his players playing in the second half and City have been caught cold. United doing all the running now and look likely to get the next goal. Jesse Lingard goes close with a fine attempt after a counter-attack from United. Alxeis Sanchez who hasn’t made an impact at United has had an excellent second half and is making United tick. A City side that has lost just once in the league all season will seal their third Premier League title in seven seasons unless Jose Mourinho’s side can throw a spanner in the works in what promises to be a memorable Manchester derby. [caption id=“attachment_4422313” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will look to clinch the Premier League title against Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United on Saturday. AFO[/caption] Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat of City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday took some gloss off their impending coronation, but Guardiola has come out fighting by taunting United with the claim he was given the chance to sign the club’s record signing Paul Pogba in January. “I said no. We don’t have the money to buy Pogba because he is so expensive,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday as he attacked the conduct of Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola. Guardiola, who stressed he thought Pogba was an “incredible player”, also suggested Raiola offered him then-United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan shortly before Arsenal signed him instead in part-exchange for the deal that took Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford. Pogba, who joined United for £89 million ($125 million, 102 million euros) from Juventus in 2016, has endured a wretched season and is by no means guaranteed to be in the starting line-up on Saturday. The French midfielder responded to Guardiola’s revelations with a picture on Twitter cupping his hand to his ear, captioned “Say what?” United manager Jose Mourinho indicated last month that it was up to Pogba to explain why his form has been so inconsistent in recent months. There is no suggestion that United had given their approval for Pogba to be offered to City and Guardiola’s ire appeared to be aimed solely at Raiola – the two men have feuded since the Catalan coach was managing Barcelona. Raiola believes Guardiola forced another of his clients, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, out of Barcelona in 2011. Their row was reignited two weeks ago when Raiola called Guardiola a “zero”, a “coward” and a “dog” for the way he treats his players. “Comparing someone to a dog is bad. It’s not good. He has to respect the dogs,” Guardiola said with heavy sarcasm on Friday. Mourinho has not commented on the Pogba claims, but he said although it would not be “the end of the world” if United lost, “we don’t want to offer them the game”. “We want to go there and want to compete and win the match if possible.” Emirati riches Despite Guardiola’s suggestion that City could not stretch to Pogba’s price tag, the investment by their owners from Abu Dhabi, who took over in 2008, has been phenomenal. The CIES Football Observatory estimates that the current City squad, including Sergio Aguero and contender for player of the year Kevin De Bruyne, cost 878 million euros ($1.07 billion) to assemble. That financial firepower has put City 16 points ahead of second-placed United. Guardiola, also a former manager of German giants Bayern Munich, has himself splashed out nearly 600 million euros in his time in northwest England, but he defended the level of spending. “I am so, so happy with what we have done this year,” he said. “It’s impossible to do that, to play the way we play, the results we achieved, without top players. It’s impossible. And today the top players cost a lot of money. “When the people say, ‘You win because you spend 600 million euros’, I don’t know how much money we spent in two years. But it is impossible to do it without money. “When people you say, ‘You can do that, Pep, what you have done in Barcelona or Bayern Munich without those players, is it possible to do that?’ No, it’s impossible, so be calm.”
Highlights, Premier League, Manchester Derby: Second-half comeback from United floors City
Catch all the Live updates from the Manchester derby in the Premier League as Pep Guardiola’s City look to seal the title with a win against arch rivals United
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That caption!
BOSS!
Chris Smalling’s game came a full circle
One for the archives!
Game changer!
Manchester is red, at least for today
FT: Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
What a stunning comeback from Manchester United to deny City a title win. After being 2-0 down and thoroughly outplayed in the first half, Jose Mourinho’s men staged a fantastic fightback. City will now to wait at least a week and perhaps two weeks if United win next week to be crowned English champions. United have become the first team to beat City at the Etihad this season. There is still no title race, but there is no title winner either. It may not be United’s year, but it’s United’s day today and a very big win in terms of their season and perhaps also next season.
90 + 4’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
Victor Lindelof comes on for Ander Herrera as United look to close a memorable victory
90’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
OFF THE POST! Sterling bundles one on the woodwork as United escape. 5 minutes of stoppage time still to play.
85’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
McTominay comes on for Jesse Lingard. United will take what they have
80’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
City have completely lost the plot and Jose Mourinho looks to shut up shop with 10 minutes to go. There’s an anxiety in the ground as it looks that United might have denied City a title against them.
75’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
Sergio Aguero has come on for Ilkay Gundogan as City look to salvage this game and almost made an instant impact. He goes down in the penalty area from the challenge of Ashley Young but referee waves off the appeals. In frustration, Fernandinho brings down Lingaard at recrives a yellow card. For protests against a penalty not being awarded Aguero also goes in the referee’s book
70’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
Pep Guardiola has reacted by making two changes. Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus have come on in place of David Silva and Bernardo Silva. City have been stunned by United who have come out with a different intent in this second half. Sergio Aguero could also come on for City shortly
69’ Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
GOAL! Chris Smalling taps home Alexis Sanchez’s free-kick and the comeback is complete. City have collapsed. United are on fire.
65’ Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United
City have just weathered that early second-half storm from United. They are beginning to see more of the ball but United have been sharp on the counter. City need an inspiration right now just like they got in the first half from Kompany to get into their rhythm.
60’ Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United
What a turnaround in this game. Mourinho has got his players playing in the second half and City have been caught cold. United doing all the running now and look likely to get the next goal. Jesse Lingard goes close with a fine attempt after a counter-attack from United. Alxeis Sanchez who hasn’t made an impact at United has had an excellent second half and is making United tick.
55’ Manchester City 2-2 Manchester United
GOAL! Paul Pogba again! What a start from United to this second half from United. Another beautifully worked goal and the Etihad is stunned
53’ Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United
GOAL! Paul Pogba pulls one back for United. Brilliant interplay from United to open up City’s defence. Game on!
50’ Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
United have began this half on the front foot. There’s an urgency in their play that was missing in the first half. They will need a goal early in this half to be right back in the game
BIG GAME, BIG PLAYER!
Are you watching, Liverpool?
Not good reading for United fans
HT: Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
Dream half for City who as things stand are 45 minutes away from a Premier League titl. United have offered very little in the game so far and their early resistance has been blown away by City. Vincent Kompany’s goal pretty much got City going in this game and since then they haven’t looked back. They could have had more if Raheem Sterling had his scoring boots on, but United will have to make a remarkable recovery to prevent City from being crowned champions at the end of the game.
45’ Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
40’ Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
City should have been home and dry by now. Sterling with three big chances but none taken. United are not impacting this game in any way so far and are being mere spectators to a City onslaught. Mourinho has a big team talk to make if his team can somehow stay in the game till half time.
35’ Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
City have a spring in their step now. The stadium is buzzing. United could be blown away here if they are not careful. Mourinho will have to come up with a Plan B if he has to prevent City from winning the title at the end of the ninety minutes today.
30’ Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
GOAL! What a beautiful goal! Raheem Sterling feeds it to Ilkat Gundogan who makes a later run into the box. The German takes it on the turn and just places it past a helpless De Gea in the far post.
25’ Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
GOAL! Vincent Kompany!!!! The captain oumuscles his marker to send a bullet header past David de Gea in the United goal. City are on their way.
20’ Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
Eric Bailly loses it in a dangerous area as Sterling charges ahead to give David Silva the ball in a promising position, but the Spaniards’ shot is way over. City haven’t been able to carve openings but they are seeing plenty of the ball. United look promising when Pogba gets ball at his feet and the likes of Lingard, Lukaku try to get behind, but so far no joy for United
15’ Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
United have managed to keep City down to very few openings in the opening 15 minutes. The Red Devils haven’t posed a threat but Mourinho will be happy with the 0-0 scoreline so far
10’ Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
United are defending in numbers and there appears to be a wall of the red at the edge of their penalty area. Nothing unexpected but City will have to produce a great deal of quality if they are to break United down through the middle. City though have plenty of width from the full-backs that can stretch United and create gaps for the fluid front three to make runs into. However, United will be looking to expose the space vacated by City’s full backs. Sanchez and Lingard will be tasked with leading United’s counter-attack
5’ Manchester City 0-0 Manchester United
Good intensity from both sides at the start. Tactically, Bernardo Silva is starting upfront as a false nine for City. Ander Herrera has been assigned to man mark David Silva. City as expected having more of the ball and also threatening to score early. Ashley Young slips inside the area and the ball hits his arm. City players appeal for a penalty but the referee plays down the appeals.
KICK OFF!
The game is underway and by the looks of it, Bernanrdo Silva is starting upfront for City.
ICYMI!
Big news from the United camp is that Paul Pogna starts in a free role in midfield
ICYMI!
Guardiola has gone with a false nine. Either Leroy Sane or Raheem Sterling to play as false nine