Man City reap rewards of two dodgy decisions as Carrick’s Man Utd still lack ‘passion’
One controversial decision weirdly changed the game in favour of the punished team at Old Trafford and a second one saw them claim all three points. That was excellent from Manchester City but more than a bit pathetic from Manchester United. It’s time to ask Michael Carrick again: Where’s the passion?
If we were to rank the force of the three Phil Foden, Bruno Fernandes flashpoint kicks at Old Trafford, the one deemed worthy of the red card would fall below Fernandes booting Foden’s shin and then his arse.
VAR agreed with Michael Oliver’s very quick decision to send Foden packing on the basis of the Manchester City star’s movement towards Fernandes’ midriff being a “secondary” one. Why then wasn’t Fernandes’ second, much more forceful and equally deliberate kick worthy of the same punishment?
A player being more harshly judged for an infringement because they’re on the floor rather than standing up is one of those officiating quirks that’s never really been explained. There’s no doubt Foden is a very silly boy, but he was drawn into tomfoolery by a conniving, very lucky boy.
It was a moment that Enzo Maresca might very secretly have welcomed at the time and less secretly pleased about now that his side collected all three points at Old Trafford. It’s quite the boon for City and their title challenge, as well as his own status as the now not-so-doomed replacement of Pep Guardiola.
READ: Phil Foden branded stupid after Man Utd red card as Roy Keane slams Bruno Fernandes
His side had barely threatened up to that point and Foden handed him an ideal excuse to sit in and ask Manchester United to make the running, which wouldn’t have gone down at all with City fans had his side had their full compliment.
There was consequently a significant uptick in pressure on United, which they bowed under impressively.
We refuse to believe that Michael Carrick’s half-time team talk focused on much other than the need to move the ball quickly. It’s down to ten men 101. And yet they were so, so passive. To the extent where City were allowed to grow in confidence, take hold of the ball again and break the deadlock, in gloriously baffling and controversial style.
“We’re being told [Erling] Haaland is in an onside position,” said Peter Drury on commentary.
“What do you mean he’s in an onside position?” replied Gary Neville. “I’m going to need the offside rule explained to me again.”
In so much as Haaland wasn’t beyond the last defender – Patrick Dorgu – when the ball was played, Gary. You’re welcome.
What was in doubt (but actually isn’t really) is if Enzo Fernandez was interfering with play as he looked to get his head on the ball before it fell for Haaland at the back post. No doubt Lisandro Martinez, and indeed his manager, will insist he would have cleared the ball without the City midfielder in close attendance.
They have every right to feel aggrieved on that front. Neville reckons it “will lead to some sort of apology from Pro Ref”; he might be right. He was also bang on in his criticism of his former side in the second half.
While City were impressive, Maresca’s players might never be given an easier ride when down to ten men. The difference in the game management of the two teams will be most alarming for Carrick.
He will field most of the blame for the defeat, and he will need to reflect on how his team should play in these situations to avoid a repeat of such inertia. But there’s only so much he can do from the sidelines.
These are moments that require leadership; someone to take a game by the scruff of the neck. Bruno Fernandes is normally the guy but was inconspicuous. Kobbie Mainoo was good, then alright, and really poor by the end of the game as he looked to force it, in very stark comparison to international teammates Elliot Anderson, who controlled the game brilliantly.
Bryan Mbeumo really should have scored late on. Marcus Rashford hit the post with a free-kick but didn’t do much besides. More though than Matheus Cunha, who surely won’t retain his place in the team for Fulham next Sunday. He was genuinely useless.
It very strangely felt as though Manchester United weren’t really involved in the Manchester derby for much of the second half.
And after Carrick bit back at a reporter asking if his side lacked “passion” following their 2-0 defeat to Hull City last month, he can fully expect similar questions after another game in which that non-negotiable trait wasn’t particularly obvious.
