Man Utd 0-0 Man City: Ruben Amorim's side hold rivals to Manchester derby draw as both teams' issues exposed at Old Trafford
Report and free match highlights as Manchester United held rivals City to a drab Manchester derby draw; Alejandro Garnacho, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee went close for United, as City's biggest threat was through Omar Marmoush; City have missed the chance to go fourth above Chelsea
Monday 7 April 2025 06:00, UK
Manchester United held rivals Manchester City to a dull derby draw which exposed the problems facing both clubs at the moment.
United and City have been below their usual standards this season and the goalless draw at Old Trafford displayed that. "There's a real lack of quality," said an aghast Roy Keane at half-time. "No atmosphere."
"It's laboured, it's flat. There's no energy. There's no anything!" added Micah Richards.
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For United, their problems lie in attack. For all their sharpness on the counter-attack, they failed to show the quality up front to make City pay. Alejandro Garnacho missed a good chance from close range in the first half, while Manuel Ugarte flashed wide in the second.
Rasmus Hojlund was withdrawn with just 15 touches and no shots to his name and his replacement Joshua Zirkzee went close to an elusive opener, as he tested Ederson from Patrick Dorgu's cross.
City's issues, meanwhile, are still in transition with United causing all sorts of problems on the break. They also looked toothless without Erling Haaland's presence.
His understudy Omar Marmoush hit routine second-half efforts straight at Andre Onana, while Phil Foden was taken off on 56 minutes having made little impact once again.
There would be no final Manchester derby win for Kevin De Bruyne, who started his 21st game against United in the week he announced he would be leaving City this summer. This was not the farewell to this fixture the Belgian deserved after a glittering City career.
The result means City missed the chance to jump over Chelsea into fourth place, following the Blues' goalless draw at Brentford earlier in the day.
It gives Newcastle the opportunity to draw level on points with Chelsea - and with a game in hand - if they beat Leicester on Monday Night Football. United, meanwhile, remain in 13th - seven points below the top half.
Amorim: Winning feeling at home is not here
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim:
"We were closer to scoring a goal, they had more possession but that is normal.
"Every player can improve. They are here because they showed something at other clubs. They have the quality. We are a team more dangerous in transition but we need to spend more time in the final third to create opportunities.
"I can see it. The connections. The players are more comfortable in the positions. We can find players between the lines and are calm with the ball. We are better but we have a lot to improve.
"I'm not naive or crazy. I understand looking at the opponents there is a big gap but as a leader I can't say we're going to take a lot of time. You have to feel urgency, to hurry to do something better. At a club like ours you don't have a lot of time. We are in a rush, that is clear.
"Both teams aren't fighting for the title - that changed the game. You can make a funny game but that feeling of not losing a point and winning every game at home is not here. It's hard to say that. We need to fight for big things. If we were fighting for big things the feeling would be completely different. You'd feel the urgency that you didn't feel today because both teams have lots of doubts."
Pep: We take the point, we have to be better
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to Sky Sports:
"With the pace they have with Garnacho, with Dalot they link really well. They link inside. They know perfectly what they have to do.
"So it's a good team, but we take the point. So we have got to be better to win.
"We know all the time against 5-4-1, is always difficult. They defend narrow here. Since many, many years, I'm playing against 5-4-1, defence in deep. So it's not new and always, we were able to do it all the quality of the players, the talent to do it.
"But this is an extra that I cannot expect because they can play badly. They try, but we are not good enough you know to hurt them or punish them a little bit more."
Neville's damning verdict on flat Manchester derby
Sky Sports' Gary Neville:
"The congratulations and love-in that I'm watching at the full-time whistle tells you that both teams are happy with a 0-0.
"The best Manchester United and Manchester City teams would be very disappointed at the end of that game with the way they approached it.
"They have been micro-managed to within an inch of their lives. It was so robotic.
"It wasn't good enough and I am disappointed. It's a Manchester derby and it should have more blood, thunder and risk than that."
