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Man United and Man City worked their way to a goalless draw at Old Trafford, which leaves each team out of the top four.
The empty stands undoubtedly played a role in the Manchester derby 183 without strength and intensity, nine months after a packed crowd roared past them to victory in what turned out to be Old Trafford’s last game with a supporter.
There was not even a yellow card until the 79th minute on Saturday night, when the rivals played a 0-0 draw in which both sides had opportunities but lacked the necessary avant-garde to achieve victory.
🏁 Manchester derby 183 ends goalless.
🔴 #MUFC
# ️⃣ #MUNMCI
🏆 #PL@Chevrolet– Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 12, 2020
United started much more focused than Tuesday’s costly Champions League defeat at RB Leipzig and was a set-piece threat, but City had the best chance of the first half when Riyad Mahrez was denied before Kevin De Bruyne will shoot.
Solskjaer’s team has tended to turn into games and received a penalty moments after halftime, but the video assistant referee rightly ruled that Marcus Rashford was offside before Kyle Walker kicked him into the area.
That opportunity awakened City’s bottom line and United’s defense produced the kind of solid display that has been lacking recently when the derby ended without a goal.
Solskjaer urged his team to be at it early on Saturday after their costly early capitulation in Germany and the players followed that advice, looking much more controlled when De Bruyne tried to open up the defense.
United came close to opening the scoring in the 11th minute when Victor Lindelof glanced around Luke Shaw’s corner and shortly thereafter Scott McTominay ran in from the far post.
Raheem Sterling leapt into space and saw a shot blocked by Harry Maguire on the other end, while absent Sergio Agüero’s killer instinct was lost when Gabriel Jesus stepped over a beautiful clipped Mahrez pass.
The teams continued to share chances during a similar first half, without the typical derby atmosphere.
Paul Pogba, starting for the first time since his agent’s controversial comments, saw a shot blocked and United captain Maguire overcame a header from the resulting corner.
The visitors’ best chance of the night came on a quick 35-minute break.
Jesus burst forward, De Bruyne played an impressive first touch to Mahrez, whose shot was well saved by David De Gea before De Bruyne fired on the rebound.
Lindelof headed from a corner towards the end of a goalless first half that was followed by a United penalty two minutes into the restart.
With England coach Gareth Southgate watching from the stands, right-back Walker kicked his international teammate Rashford as he tried to clear the ball and referee Chris Kavanagh signaled the point.
It was a great opportunity rightly ripped off by VAR as the United forward had drifted offside in preparation.
The unbalanced Mason Greenwood missed the target and Rashford fired wide as the locals continued a brilliant start to the second period, with City’s only chance of a misguided attempt by Fernandinho.
De Bruyne was starting to look frustrated as United remained strong, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka doing well to stop Sterling before Maguire got in the way of De Bruyne superbly.
Pressure from the city slowly mounted and Maguire became the first player of the night to be booked when he awkwardly dropped Jesús in the 79th minute.
Fernandinho followed him to referee Kavanagh’s notebook, and Bruno Fernandes saw a late snapshot that was easily saved before shooting at goal.
De Gea, whose place had come under scrutiny, comfortably held up a Rodri attempt in the dying embers of a derby that never ignited.
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