Long after the final whistle, just out of their respective technical areas, Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stood deep in conversation. The temptation was to wonder if Guardiola, with his perpetual quest for knowledge, was asking for tips.
Manchester City may be 11 points before their neighbours but only one manager has faced Guardiola four times or more and won more than he has lost: Solskjaer. Only Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho boast more victories in total against Guardiola.
Welcome to the paradox of Solskjaer. If few believe he is a world-class manager, he has displayed an ability to beat them.
Besides Guardiola, he has defeated Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti, Mauricio Pochettino and Mourinho, plus managers of elite clubs such as Unai Emery and Frank Lampard.
Only Klopp has not lost to Solskjaer in the league, but the only points he dropped in Liverpool’s first 29 games last season were at Old Trafford.
True, Solskjaer has often lost to them. Admittedly, United’s resources and personnel give him a chance in most games. And, as he has lost four semi-finals and had not won any of his first seven big-six matches this season, it can be simplistic to simply say he is the man for the major occasion. And yet Solskjaer, sometimes cruelly derided as a PE teacher, can point to his share of prestigious tactical triumphs.
Sunday was one such. The sight of Joao Cancelo, an emblem of City’s winning run, being substituted showed United had found a way of combating the ‘false two’, the full-back who spent much of his time in midfield.
Using Marcus Rashford’s pace in the space Cancelo vacated was one part of strategy. When Luke Shaw surged past the Portuguese en route to scoring United’s second, it felt symbolic.
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City 0 United 2: player ratings
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MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 6: Could the Brazilian have kept out Fernandes’ second-minute spot-kick? He guessed right and got to the ball but was left picking the ball out the net. There was nothing he could do, though, about Shaw’s scruffy finish to put United two goals ahead. Getty -
Joao Cancelo - 6: The right-back has been one of City’s standout performers in recent weeks and months but he wasn’t quite at his usual levels today and was overran by Shaw as the United left-back raced forward to put his side 2-0 up. PA -
Ruben Dias - 6: Another Portuguese defender who struggled with the United counter-attack and he failed to organise his defence in time for Shaw to put the ball away for the second goal. Reuters -
John Stones - 7: A good display from the centre-half, who went about his business quietly and effectively. Popped up in the penalty area with a header that flew over late on as he looked to get side back into game. Getty -
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 6: A decent strike from the edge of the box in the first half gave visiting stopper Dean Henderson something to do, but it was a quiet game aside from that for the Ukrainian. PA -
Rodri - 6: The man at the base of the City midfield had a steady if not unspectacular game that nearly sprung into life when he fired against the bar in the opening few minutes of the second half. It could have been a very different game if that strike was a few inches lower. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne - 4: An uncharacteristically lacklustre display from the Belgian. The 29-year-old was particularly poor on the ball in the first half, and while he did recover in the second period, he was unable to create anything meaningful. EPA -
Ilkay Gundogan - 6: The German has been sublime during City’s record-breaking run and he was silky and purposeful in midfield again here. A couple of strikes at goal made the keeper work but they never looked like adding to his impressive goals tally. EPA -
Riyad Mahrez - 6: The Algerian winger always looks dangerous when cutting in on his left but the closest he came to a goal was a fizzing right-foot effort that just evaded the bottom corner and Henderson’s right-hand post. Getty -
Gabriel Jesus - 4: The Brazilian was clumsy in giving away a penalty inside the opening minute as he clipped the heels of Martial and his day didn’t really improve from there. Never looked like dragging City back into the game. Getty -
Raheem Sterling - 5: Another afternoon to forget against United for the winger, who somehow failed to hit the target from a few yards out following great work by Walker. Struggled to get the better of United full-back Aaron Wan-Bisakka. AFP -
SUBS: Kyle Walker - (On for Cancelo 65') 6: – The full-back was full of energy when he came on and provided a pinpoint cross for Sterling to finish off late on, but his teammate fluffed his chance. Reuters -
Phil Foden - (On for Jesus 70') 6: On another day the midfielder would’ve scored from a couple of openings in the penalty area, but couldn't find finishing touch here. Reuters -
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson - 7: The first time in 19 Manchester derbies that De Gea hasn’t started in the United goal. Looked confident and was vocal in the first half as he saved from Zinchenko. Decisive in the second with his long throw out. Booked for trying to run down the clock – with 30 minutes left. AP -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7: Up against Sterling, one of the best players in the world but one who hadn’t scored in 22 games against United. Make it 23 thanks to Wan Bissaka’s competence. EPA -
Victor Lindelof - 8: Outstanding first half where he mopped up everything City could throw at him including a solid block from Gundogan in first 20 minutes. Kept extremely busy and there were nervy moments as cross after cross came in, but the Swede was one of the main men as United kept a clean sheet in their best win of the season. EPA -
Harry Maguire - 8: Led the back four which pushed up, surprisingly, against City. Booked after 32 for a foul on Jesus as his team came under sustained pressure. Excellent. AFP -
Luke Shaw - 9: Powerful shot straight at the keeper after three minutes which could have made it 2-0. Regardless, he was the man who did eventually make it 2-0 after running from his own half with the ball and working with Rashford before a fine strike into the corner. One of the players of the season. Reuters -
Scott McTominay - 7: Block from De Bruyne as City pressed for an equaliser before half time but needed to keep ball better. Pure determination in the second half as United ended City’s 21 game winning run. Getty -
Fred - 7: Made important interceptions but still lost possession too much. Even nutmegged an opponent as United became very confident in the second half. AP -
Daniel James - 7: Rarely involved until he ran forward with the ball towards the end of the first half. Better in the second as United started to dominate the play. Switched sides when Rashford went off. AP -
Bruno Fernandes - 7: Put the Reds up after a minute as United started superbly and enjoyed most of the possession in the opening ten minutes. Looked highly motivated. PA -
Marcus Rashford - 7: Worked hard and shot from distance after 16 minutes. Didn't always make right decision but never stopped working. Much improved in the second, involved in the second goal and then sprinted half the length of the pitch to stop a dangerous City counter. He injured himself in doing so and left the pitch. Reuters -
Anthony Martial - 8: Started as the central striker and won a penalty after 34 seconds after being fouled by Gabriel Jesus. Looked dangerous when the ball came to him – as he did in the equivalent fixture last season. Ran at City defenders and held them off throughout. Had two superb chances to make it 3-0, the first a header, the second a shot. Did we see him smile in the second half? We did. It has been a while. EPA -
SUBS: Mason Greenwood - (On for Rashford 73') 6: Helped defend and took the ball off Phil Foden as City pushed to score. Nemanja Matic - (On for Martial 88') N/A. AFP
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Shaw has plenty of other significance. Solskjaer has proved the former striker can drill a defence. Understandably, the focus in the build-up was on United’s lack of goals against their peers. But now a record featuring a surfeit of stalemates can be flipped.
Since the 6-1 defeat to Tottenham, Manchester United have conceded a solitary penalty in seven league games against the big six. They kept a clean sheet against City with just 34 per cent of possession, a feat of concentration and organisation, and Solskjaer has still to show he can formulate a plan to dominate the ball against the elite. His back four, and the shield of Scott McTominay and Fred, though. can be hard to penetrate.
Sean Dyche may recognise the combination of sporadic high pressing married with a retreat into a low block, but Harry Maguire’s assortment of clearances was an illustration he is one of the best penalty-box defenders around.
Shaw has inverted a recent trend at Old Trafford. Too many signings since Sir Alex Ferguson have produced their best form early in their United careers only to regress.
There have been times when United seem to have had a diminishing effect on him; not now, when he has never played better. Scapegoated by Mourinho, he has surged under Solskjaer.
Shaw may have been galvanised by the competition from Alex Telles but the Norwegian merits credit for his improvement. Perhaps the recent revival of Daniel James, the eager runner who has done a valuable job in major matches, offers indications another will advance courtesy of his coaching.
Maybe Anthony Martial did, too, but after a terrific, 23-goal season last year, the Frenchman’s troubled campaign threatened to be defined by his dismissal against Spurs. An enigma was outstanding on Sunday, a speedy spearhead resuming a role as City’s tormentor. Solskjaer added to his list of scalps. Maybe Guardiola was asking him how.
