A rivalry year’s in the making. A relationship that was formerly amicable but now soured and intensified. A supposed underdog living in the shadow of a champion. Whether Audley Harrison can cause one of boxing’s great upsets and defeat David Haye in Manchester this Saturday remains to be seen but first of all there was the small matter of one of the most eagerly awaited Manchester derbies.
But if Haye-Harrison put on a ‘show’ like this one, people, spend your £15 elsewhere. Fireworks were expected but other than the garish, red flare waved by fans in the Manchester United end during City’s obligatory rendition of ‘Blue Moon’, the match was sparse of spark or gunpowder.
Manchester City were without Mario Ballotelli, the Italian suspended after being sent off against West Brom the weekend before. Rather than replace the strikier with attacking impetus, Roberto Mancini opted for the three central midfielders of Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure. Adam Johnson’s threat would be limited to only twenty minutes as he was once again named as a substitute. Carlos Tevez, who prior to the match reiterated his contentment at City after switching from United two seasons ago, was the lone striker but David Silva was expected to assist the Argentine.
Sir Alex Ferguson, in his thirty ninth match against the Sky Blues, also named 5 midfielders with Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes, who dramatically headed United a last gasp winner in the same fixture in May, flanked by Park Ji Sung and Nani. Ryan Giggs was deemed unfit still and Wayne Rooney’s conditioning in America meant he was unavailable. Dimitar Berbatov was hoping to end a barren spell 7 league games without scoring.
A first half stymied by a crowded midfield and an inability by both teams to penetrate the opposing final third gave the impression that both teams would settle for a share of the points. That United scored three last minute winners against City last season perhaps suggested that the longer City didn’t score, the more likely United would.
The only chances of the half came to a player from either side. Patrice Evra, who seems to be suffering from quite a throbbing World Cup hangover, played a tidy one-two with Park but the shot that followed went straight into Joe Hart’s arms. Tevez was then awarded a free-kick towards the right of the area. Had the City captain struck it with more of his usual venom then Edwin Van Der Sar may have been beaten. Instead the Dutchman dived high to his left to make a less than troubling save. The half finished with United having had more possession, with Fletcher, Scholes and Carrick all retaining the ball confidently if not probingly.
A second half that lacked the guile of even the preceding one was made more interesting as United started to push higher up the field. If City were to score it needed to be when capatalising on the high full backs of Wes Brown , who had replaced Rafael, and John O’Shea, who came on for an injured Evra. They didn’t, and as a result even the introduction of Johnson, on for an ineffective and out of position James Milner, couldn’t supply Tevez with any opportunities.
An decent overhead kick by Berbatov could not find a way past Hart in goal and although they looked more likely to break the deadlock United failed in their quest to claim belated bragging rights. An echo of boo’s rang around Eastland’s, City fans only too aware that scoreless draws, especially at home, will not get them a coveted Champions League place. It might, however, give them a new manager.
There were cautious jabs, quick feet and ducks and dives but the knockout match that many expected may come Saturday night after all.
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