After the jubilation in the midweek and the shock victory at Old Trafford, the Blades next trip to Manchester did not quite go as well. In form, City made it eight straight wins in the league and twelve in all competitions to extend their advantage at the top of the table. Today the side in first place saw off the bottom-placed side despite being without several star players but it was a close contest.
United’s miserable run against Man City continued and it is now six league contests without even a goal, with five defeats and one 0-0 draw in the Premier League. The Blades have never won at the Etihad Stadium and have not even scored at Man City since 1991 when Brian Gayle scored in a 3-2 defeat. United’s last win was 1987 in a 3-2 success when Billy McEwan was the managed in a tier two contest and Chris Wilder played!
Today, City got an early goal after sloppy defending with Jesus profiting from several moments of indecision and then strolled the game although created little and in the end, the Blades had a go in the final few minutes with Fleck so close to stealing a late leveller.
REPORT BY DEADBAT
The Blades made four changes with John Egan back in for Man of the Match from the week, Phil Jagielka and Jayden Bogle starting for Kean Bryan at left-back who was possibly deemed not to be quite fit after hobbling off in the week. United rotated the front two with goalscoring hero Burke and Rhian Brewster replacing old stagers Sharp and McGoldrick. Oli McBurnie was back in the squad and on the bench.
City made 5 changes and of course were missing Aguero and De Bruyne and also left Sterling and Mahrez out but still had a strong side with talented youngster Phil Foden being instrumental in the recent good run.
The home side started in the ascendancy and was moving the ball about with pace, often all one touch. United tried to set out with two banks of defence and midfield but City had players popping up all over and the Blades had to stay focused to plug any gaps. One decent spell of possession at least gave United a chance to get up the field but they were behind soon after on only 8 minutes.
It came from a ball over the top but Ampadu did not deal with it and flicked his header down the inside right channel. Torres was onto it but Bogle had a chance to clear but dithered. The winger managed to somehow wriggle around him tight on the goal line and then Ampadu could not execute any kind of tackle. The cross came over and inexplicably Basham left his man coming out for the reason only he could explain and JESUS took a touch and stumbled which put Ramsdale on the floor before the striker easily scored from close range. An awful piece of defending with several players culpable and the Blades were trailing.
The next spell saw City again moving it about and the Blades struggling to get any kind of foothold on the game. However, it was nearly another error when Norwood’s header back was risky and Silva flicked on but Ramsdale saved. Any more kind of contact and it would have been a second goal.
Lundstram gave it away twice with the second after a promising move from Bogle and Fleck. Norwood was then booked after City broke as he brought down Foden in a typically poor challenge. On 25 minutes a ball over was finally cleared despite more confusion at the back. City was dictating the game if not really creating lots of chances but were coping easily with the threat the other way despite Burke gamely running across the line when the ball came forward. Brewster had not been in the game at all.
City continued to pick up any loose balls and then the Blades could not get it off them with City’s defence effectively playing as midfielders they were so high up and so involved in the play with touches aplenty. United did have a decent move on 34 minutes and a shot as Brewster hit a tame effort with Ederson saved easily. Soon after Burke nearly got in but Dias made a timely full stretch block. A second foul throw for City was about the only thing they had not done with ease as they were still controlling the game and tempo.
The play transferred to the other end and City had another spell with the ball and often it ended up with Torres with the ball as City targeted Bogle’s defensive weakness especially playing in an unfamiliar left-back role. He made another mistake and Egan had to make an interception. The ball was played back down the right soon after and Torres skinned his man again but it went out for a corner before Ramsdale flicked over under his bar.
A silly foul from Fleck gave a chance for another whipped free-kick but it was cleared. The half ended with City knocking it about with no pressure on the ball and the Blades probably glad to go in only 1-0 down even though City had not created any chances at all outside of the goal and the Silva class.
The second half saw City win an early corner but Dias headed wide as he got away from Egan. City moved it about well again and Foden found Zinchenko whose cross was met by Torres with Bogle dithering again but United cleared.
Foden and Lundstram both had treatment after a clash on 52 minutes but both could carry on. City then continued to move it about patiently and with thought as the Blades tried to stay in the game.
Torres then nutmegged Bogle but Egan cleared before more patient stuff from City saw them move it about side to side but were struggling to penetrate a compact Blades defence. A rare break saw Burke get down the left side and put a dangerous ball in but Brewster was stationary as the ball was cleared. The ball fell for Bogle but his poor day continued as he skewed wide.
McGoldrick was on for Brewster but he was having to defend after he came on as City through quick work from Foden won two corners. A decent move from the home side saw Foden feed Zinchenko whose dangerous cross found Torres outjumping the hesitant Bogle but United managed to snaffle it away.
More patient football from City with Gundogan, Silva and Fernandinho all just moving it around from side to side as United could not get a foot in or even have a spell of play. A superb move saw Gundogan feed Zinchenko who hit a fierce shot but Ramsdale got down the left to push away spectacularly. A save you would expect to make but still, he showed good reactions and firm hands.
The corner saw more poor work and lack of desire sadly on a set play as Laporte outjumped Basham who barely got off the ground but Ramsdale flicked over. United was still in it at 1-0 but was not looking a threat so took off Burke and Basham for McBurnie and Sharp and Wilder tried to show a more attacking hand.
Foden won a corner with more quick feet but McBurnie’s first act was to head clear despite taking a whack. Baldock and Egan were both booked for cynical fouls on Foden and Fernandinho respectively but a chance for a break came when McGoldrick worked some space but Sharp took too long and was crowded out. The veteran did create a chance not long after when he breasted down for Fleck and the midfielder’s shot from outside the box whistled narrowly wide with Ederson beaten. It was a big chance to salvage something and was so close. Sharp then won a free-kick which resulted in Norwood having a shot blocked and then Fleck’s cross clutched by the City keeper.
Rodri came on for Torres as Pep reacted to the new threat the Blades were creating as they threw caution to the wind. There was 5 minutes of stoppage time after several players had done down and another half-chance came when Sharp and McBurnie combined but it would not quite sit and City broke. Jesus was in on goal and as Baldock tried to close down the danger he came left and hit a shot that Ramsdale saved superbly flicking around the post. City then were wasting time near the corner showing how close the Blades had pushed them. United cleared the ball and hit one final ball forward but McGoldrick’s foul was the final act and the Blades efforts were all in vain.
United had stayed in the game and not been battered in terms of chances or goals and even though they were chasing the game and the ball; it was a solid and disciplined performance. The Blades certainly can take heart from two solid performances this week and although today they were deservedly beaten, they put in a better performance than they had done in many of the defeats earlier in the season.