Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag hailed his squad's resilience and "spirit" after fighting back to defeat rivals Manchester City and emerging as Premier League title contenders.
Substitute Jack Grealish put City ahead on the hour mark at Old Trafford, but a well-taken, and contentious, equaliser from Bruno Fernandes and a tap-in winner from Marcus Rashford earned United a victory that moves them one point behind second-placed City in the table.
"I think we have seen it all in this process there is fight and spirit in this team," Ten Hag said. "They can deal with setbacks. There was a difficult stage of the game but we came stronger and stronger.
"The first 30 minutes after half-time were really difficult for us. They were finding players between the lines like Kyle Walker especially. It was difficult and we could not deal with it the whole time but there's also something about the spirit. We keep believing in a good result, that is what the team did and I have to value that. It was a good performance in an important game."
Rashford's match-winning goal extended the 25-year-old forward's fine run of form: the England international has scored in seven successive games for United ― eight goals in total ― to take his tally to 16 in all competitions.
"I'm really happy, of course, with his performance," Ten Hag said. "He believes once again, he keeps going, he will always get his moment. In the first half, he had a one-on-one with the goalie and one really good situation and more came off disappointed he hadn't scored. But then he scored!
"Players have to be resilient, you get kicked in a game and obviously it happened. It hurts but you have to keep going and you have to do it to get the right result, the right performance. Fight and deal with that, even if it keeps on being painful. You have to contribute to the game. You have to deal with it. He did today and got rewarded for it, the team got rewarded for it."
Man United v Man City player ratings
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MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea - 7, City had more possession but fewer chances in the first half – just one shot to United’s four. A couple of poor balls out and couldn’t do much for City’s goal. Getty -
Tyrell Malacia - 9, His best United game. Made a fine run on a 32nd minute counter attack but the pass from Fernandes didn’t come to him. Excellent cutting out a 54th minute De Bruyne ball. Targeted in the last derby, a 3-6 defeat. Much better in this one, though a 75th minute cross was a poor one. PA -
Luke Shaw - 9, Surprise starter and busy as City put a lot of balls into the United box. Took the ball off Bernardo to break up a 54th minute City attack. Roared on after a 94th minute interception which stopped a City attack. And again in the 95th minute. AFP -
Raphael Varane - 9, He’s brilliant. Followed Haaland closely and bested him throughout. Rapid when clearing up loose ball, snuffing attacks out. Went towards J Stand at the end and bellowed in celebration with the fans. This is why he joined United. Magnificent performance. Reuters -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 8, Big test for the man – and he was up to it. Grew stronger in the second half, battled, won tackles and even had a shot on goal. AFP -
Fred - 8, Man-marked De Bruyne. Two super tackles on him after 18, to huge cheers. Energy to the end. Like a rat up a drainpipe. Magnificent. EPA -
Casemiro - 8, Headed corners away. Blocked Haaland’s shot on 24. Couldn’t get close enough to De Bruyne as he set up City’s opener. Ball towards Rashford set up the equaliser – though Fernandes converted it. Helped United be so good out of possession. PA -
Christian Eriksen - 6, Played in the No 10 role and put Fernandes in for an early shot. Combined well with Rashford in a 37th minute attack. Booked for a second foul on Grealish and brought off soon after. PA -
Bruno Fernandes - 8, Played on the right, defended well, pressed well. Manager’s man of the match. Shot wide after 11 following an Eriksen assist. Poor ball towards Malacia on 32 as United countered. Lofted a clever ball forward. Then he equalised – what a (controversial) moment. Getty -
Anthony Martial - 5, Surprise start given his manager said he was injured. Effective when coming back early in the game and linking up on the attacks, but he didn’t press as he should – and did against City in previous derbies. Off at half time. Getty -
Marcus Rashford - 8, Linked with those around him. Broke on 33 and shot but it was easily cleared. Burned Rodri off on 37 but ran out of space as Ederson came out and made a top save. Pulled up soon after and it looked like he’d have to leave the field at half time. He didn’t and stayed on to get the 82nd minute winner, the ninth consecutive game he’s scored in. AFP -
SUBS: Antony - 5, On for Martial at half time. Didn’t do much. Reuters -
Alejandro Garnacho - 7, On for Eriksen after 71. Energetic and ran down left. Tried to cross, the ball hit Ake’s face and came back to him. He turned, then hit a left footed cross towards Rashford for the winner. EPA -
Harry Maguire N/A. Lisandro Martinez N/A. Scott McTominay N/A. Reuters -
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 5, Looked shaky at times, notably rushing out and being beaten to the ball by Rashford, but did well to smother the United forward later in the first half. Little he could have done about the goals. PA -
Kyle Walker - 6, Was solid for large periods, notably stepping out to stop Fernandes’ pass to Malacia, and got forward well with one ambitious shot fizzing agonisingly wide before half time. Was beaten by Fernandes for the equaliser. PA -
Manuel Akanji - 6, Cleared Rashford’s shot off the line then stopped Martial getting off a convincing header. Did superbly to stop Malacia’s ball through, then halted Garnacho’s run but was involved as Fernandes equalised then completely lost Rashford as United went ahead. AFP -
Nathan Ake - 6, Wasn’t afraid to step out and make an impact, whether that was on the ball or winning it back. However, he was turned by Garnacho before the substitute set up the winner. AP -
Joao Cancelo - 7, Showed early intent with a burst forward while also defending well, notably reaching Martial’s pass ahead of Rashford and heading away Shaw’s cross. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne - 8, Was frustrated by Fred early on but his influence grew as the game progressed with the Belgian’s delightful dink setting up Grealish’s opener. Couldn’t quite unlock United’s defence as City chased the equaliser. EPA -
Rodrigo - 7, Put in a lot of strong defensive work, winning the ball back when United threatened to break forward and doing well to keep Rashford under pressure when he was bearing down on goal. PA -
Bernardo Silva - 5, Dropped deep to get the ball in the first half but played a poor pass that resulted in a chance for Fernandes. Couldn’t quite play Haaland through, then tried to head the ball back when there was the chance to go for goal. AFP -
Riyad Mahrez - 6, Was frustrated by the amount of times Malacia fouled him in the first half and had a poor pass cut out in a promising position. Played a lovely flick to help a De Bruyne burst forward. Getty -
Erling Haaland - 5, Tried to come deep to get on the ball and saw his one real shot blocked by Casemiro. Made a strong defensive header from a United corner but was unable to get a shot off before Casemiro tackled him. AFP -
Phil Foden - 4, Was very quiet and was caught offside a few times. Couldn’t get a convincing header on De Bruyne’s cross and played a poor pass in a promising position. Hooked after 57 minutes. EPA -
SUB: Jack Grealish (Foden, 57’) - 8, Made an instant impact as he headed home De Bruyne’s cross, then continued to get on the ball. His late cross required a superb defensive header from Shaw. AFP
Before Rashford grabbed the winner, the key turning point in the match occurred four minutes earlier and also involved the England forward. Casemiro threaded a through-pass into the path of an offside Rashford who let the ball run to Fernandes and the Portuguese midfielder curled in the equaliser.
The goal was initially ruled out by the assistant referee but a VAR check deemed Rashford was not interfering with play and the decision was overturned. Pep Guardiola was convinced the goal should not have been given, and while Ten Hag understood the City manager's frustration, the Dutchman believes the right call was made.
"If you are the opposition, I can see the team are unhappy with this situation but Bruno was scoring from the back and not in an offside position," he said. "Of course, he brings hesitation from the centre-halves, to the opposition, and we take advantage. It's a difficult situation. It's a grey area.
"But, when you see back the approach, Bruno was in an onside position and he scored. I can see on the other side - it confused the backline, it's clear but, also, that's the rule. I would not be happy when my team, as well, concede a goal like this so I can see the disappointment on the other side but I can see the other side as well."
Five straight wins have moved United to within a point of City and five of leaders Arsenal, who face rivals Tottenham on Sunday aiming to stretch their lead to eight points. But Ten Hag insisted there are no thoughts about a title challenge as the focus remains on "game by game".
"We think about Crystal Palace and the next game," he said. "We have to go celebrate for 24 hours and then we go to Palace and we have to prepare, the team has to prepare themselves and get the energy and the right focus. It is all about that. We have to train. I have to prepare the team for the next battle."
