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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jonathan Wilson at the Etihad Stadium

Manchester United flounder without foundations to build upon

Victor Lindelöf fails to block Kevin de Bruyne, who puts Manchester City 2-1 ahead
Victor Lindelöf fails to block Kevin de Bruyne, who puts Manchester City 2-1 ahead. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

If there is good news for Manchester United on a bleak afternoon it is that their performance was good in parts. Admittedly those parts were few and far between and confined almost entirely to the first half, but that is still better than the derby at Old Trafford in November.

The use of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba as central attacking players, to the extent it caused Manchester City problems, worked, at least before half-time. But the problem is that none of that much matters if you’re going to defend like the visitors did.

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