Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United have learned how to suffer and deal with difficult moments after years of adopting a laissez-faire attitude to defeat. There is a realisation that the team can be better than the sum of its parts if the players work together.
Against Manchester City they were organised and showed new-found discipline for 90 minutes to win an underwhelming derby. Despite City enjoying 71% of possession, they could muster only one shot on target, which was Jack Grealish’s opener. While City were below their best, their playmakers need only a moment of genius to create a goal – as Kevin De Bruyne proved – but United limited them through precision defending.
