
In a Manchester derby not short of talking points, neither side could claim local bragging rights as the teams played out a 0-0 draw in a game with few key chances.
The first major chance of the game went to Manchester City in approximately the 9th minute and Sergio Aguero hit the outside of the post after a delicious cross.
Then, in around the 24th minute, Claudio Bravo dropped the ball from a cross, which fell into the path of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but Bravo reacted quickly to save his shot. In the 44th minute, Manchester United were awarded a freekick. Marcus Rashford delivered a gorgeous ball in the box, but Ander Herrera could only head wide in what was arguably the best chance of the match.
In the second half, a pattern began to emerge - it was very similar in the first half, if not as clear cut. Manchester City had a lot of the ball, but created very little clear cut chances, in fact many shots were from distance and the finishing was rather wayward. For the statistics (source: BBC), City had 69% possession, and 19 shots, but only 6 on target.
City had a half-shout for a penalty in the 56th minute when Leroy Sane went down in the box after slight contact with Antonio Valencia, though referee Martin Atkinson was having none of it, and to give my personal opinion, he went down easily. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo went off injured in around the 75th minute, after he hurt his calf catching a corner. In the 83rd minute, Marouane Fellaini got booked for a foul for Aguero, which, almost unbelievably, was the first booking of the match. At his point the game began to get extremely heated, and a minute later Fellaini fouled Aguero again, and was seemingly angered by the fact that Aguero made the most of it, and in a moment of absolute idiocy, headbutted Aguero and got sent off.
Suddenly it began to look like Manchester United's gameplan would go out of the window. In the 90th minute, it looked like Manchester City scored the winnner through substitute Gabriel Jesus, but the goal was disallowed and the celebrations were cut short. The game ultimately ended goalless, and Mourinho emerged happier than Guardiola at the end, after extending United's unbeaten run in the league to 24 games.
Speaking after the game, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said:
"I didn't watch but probably I can guess it's a bit of a red card and that it's a bit of a very experienced, smart Argentinian player,"
"Marouane says it was a red card because he is Marouane.
"[Referee] Martin Atkinson told me that in his opinion it is a red card, but I saw Aguero in the tunnel and no broken nose, no broken head, his face is nice as always. I am not sure…
"If Sergio doesn't go to the floor then it is for sure not a red card, but if Marouane gave him the chance to do that... I don't know, but what I do know is that we played 15 minutes with 10 men and the boys were absolutely amazing for the way they fought for the point."
"Tonight we lost two more players, in Fellaini and also Timothy Fosu-Mensah because he has also an important injury in the last action of the game,"
"I think City will finish in the top four with the matches they have to play, I see them doing that.
"It's between us, Arsenal and Liverpool for fourth. We are going to try but the reality is we have a Europa League semi-final to play and lots of problems with players.
Whilst Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said:
"It is still in our hands, which is important,"
"Every game will be a battle like today because considering our average chances created and our average chances scored, it is lower and that is why we have to fight a lot to win the games.
"Leicester and Crystal Palace will not be easy, you've seen what Palace have done at Anfield and Stamford Bridge.
"It will be tough until the last minute but we are going to play the way we played today for the rest of the season."
"We are going to fight."