As the fallout from the Manchester Derby continues, it is easy to miss things that one hasn’t seen on the first watch of the game.
Despite the gulf between the two teams in quality and success over the years, it is always a heated and interesting matchup.
The Red Devils lost 3-0 with goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden sending United down to 14th in the table, just one spot above their abysmal showing from last season.
There was conjecture around the game as to whether new signing Senne Lammens would start after Altay Bayindir’s shaky start to the season.
As it so happened, Bayindir started with Lammens on the bench. According to a report in National World, after City’s third goal went in, Bryan Mbeumo could be seen shouting at Bayindir to keep his head up in a show of spirit and attempted resistance in the wake of another embarrassing result.
Mbeumo was a live wire throughout the game, attempting to take the game to City even after the score was 3-0.
Though United were well beaten by City, the last 20 minutes should serve as encouragement for the Red Devils and if they scored one goal, it may have been a signal for them to pull things back as has happened in previous famous derbies.
There was Casemiro’s chance from a corner, Mbeumo’s tap in from the six yard box and the former Brentford forward’s volley that Gianluigi Donnarumma had to save.
United didn’t give up at the very least and though the circumstances, performances and league position are dire with the manager once again under intense scrutiny, there is some encouragement that a camp that feels more together is still fighting and are trying to encourage one another in troubling times.
