They traded songs about Manchester City being the best team in the world and Manchester United having won the lot. Call it wishful thinking, nostalgia or simply a distraction from a dull, dismal derby as mediocrity and mundanity ruled at Old Trafford. The 196th derby simply illustrated the slide in standards on both sides of Manchester.
An afternoon notable for the presence of iconic greats – Eric Cantona in the stands, Kevin De Bruyne in the City forward line – was a reminder of what these clubs have been. Now they are 13th and fifth. If City finish any lower and fail to reach the Champions League, the five points dropped against United this season will appear particularly costly. “I prefer to have 10 more points or 20 more but it is what it is,” shrugged Pep Guardiola. “Old Trafford is Old Trafford.”
