Season Highlights: Man Utd Do the Derby Double Over Neighbours Man City
By Robbie Walls
Bruno Fernandes stands over the free kick. He dinks it Cantona-style over the wall. Anthony Martial slots it past Ederson, who should do better. United on course for the derby double. The title looms large!
In some parallel universe, that last line would perhaps be the case, but such is the post-Sir Alex Ferguson dystopia that we find ourselves in that the Old Trafford derby victory took Manchester United to just 45 Premier League points, with bitter rivals Liverpool some 37 points ahead at the top of the table.
Despite the lowly points total, the United faithful have certainly enjoyed their fair share of highs this season. Three victories out of four against rivals Manchester City in all competitions, a further three wins over Chelsea - including a 4-0 hammering on the opening day - as well as the triumph over the returning Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham side in December all earmarked the club's big game ability.
Throw in an FA Cup quarter final spot, a potential quarter final Europa League place as well as a semi final in the Carabao Cup, and the season may seem pretty successful.
However, for every high this season, the club have been brought crashing back down to earth. Draws to the likes of Sheffield United and Aston Villa, as well as defeat to a drab Newcastle side have epitomised the team's inability to squash the 'lesser' lights of the Premier League. Even in some of the biggest games, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his men have faltered, being comfortably beaten by Liverpool at Anfield as well as being torn apart by a striker-less City side at home in the Carabao Cup.
Yet, the last league fixture for the club before the footballing hiatus perhaps signalled a change. While the suspension of our beloved sport may have impacted all clubs, the halt was none more so untimely than for United, as the club had begun to put together a string of results with an improved defensive record, as well as the arrival of the 'messiah' Bruno Fernandes.
As Pep Guardiola's men arrived at Old Trafford, the script had perhaps already been written. United would sit back and soak up pressure - as they had done in the away fixture - before exploiting City's defensive frailties with some explosive attacking play. Yet such has been the renewed swagger around the club, the game panned out quite differently.
United's revived sense of belief, as well as Fernandes' midfield artistry, put United on the front foot from the off, before the Portugal international showcased his quality.
After 30 minutes of unremarkable football, the former Sporting CP captain found teammate Anthony Martial with a delicious chipped pass to throw off the napping City defence, the Frenchman duly rifling home past the flappy-handed Ederson.
For City, perhaps this one moment highlighted their flaws across the season as a whole. For all their dynamic attacking skill, the defence - and on this rare case, the goalkeeper - let the side down once more. While Fernandes' wizardry would be enough to undo any defence, Guardiola has seen his backline fold on too many occasions as their title defence unraveled.
In the first derby fixture of the season, the Citizens had been brutally pulled apart by United's relentless counter-attacking display, with the 2-1 scoreline undeniably flattering the home side. While the second league encounter may not have been as dramatic, the low quality performance of the away side was just as surprising.
Aside from a testing effort from Phil Foden and a rising header from Nicolas Otamendi, the Blues never truly tested David de Gea in goal. Star winger Raheem Sterling continued to be affected by his United hoodoo as he once again failed to score against the club, playing out the majority of his game in Aaron Wan-Bissaka's pocket.
At the other end, Ederson was once more at fault as the ball rolled carelessly under his pink boot to allow the charging Martial a chance at goal. While the Brazilian recovered - and the Frenchman slid straight into the goalposts - his shaky performance was not at an end.
The keeper's woeful throw landed the ball straight at the feet of United's midfield enforcer Scott McTominay, who swept it into the net from 40 yards. As the stadium erupted, so too did Solskjaer. The Norwegian legend had done the double over the greatest coach in the world - not too bad for the former 'intern'.
And so, another chapter in the strange story that has been United's season was over. While there may not have been a changing of the guard in Manchester, the Red Devils could be a force to be reckoned with once more - maybe.