Marcus Rashford: who else? The Manchester United striker scored a 16th goal of his scintillating season and a seismic 82nd-minute derby winner that took his side to within a point of Manchester City.
It came when Alejandro Garnacho, on as a replacement, twisted and turned in the champions’ area before rolling the ball into Rashford who, from near-in, was never going to miss.
Earlier, Pep Guardiola had greeted Jack Grealish’s leaping header with a cheeky grin and punch of the air to celebrate his decision to bring on the winger three minutes before. That goal was on the hour and threw down a challenge to United: after dominating for long stretches of this 189th local squabble could they recover poise and find a way back?
The answer was resounding yes, in a response that first featured Bruno Fernandes equalising. This came when Casemiro flighted a sweet pass in behind the visitors. Rashford was offside but did not touch the ball and Fernandes ran in and smashed home. The flag went up and a furious Fernandes led the protests to the assistant referee. But, after a pause, the finish was ruled fair – which was correct under the law – much to United’s delight.
City were furious and while Guardiola contended Rashford was offside and interfering with his defenders, he was magnanimous enough not to blame the goal for defeat. He was also pleased with his side’s performance, saying how he “recognised” it again after the “sad” display in Wednesday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup loss at Southampton.
But, this is not the City who have been champions in four of the past five years. There is a discordant note to their play that, in this highly tuned team, has knocked them crucially off kilter.
Initially, they hogged possession and had João Cancelo marauding along his left-back flank and Kevin De Bruyne spinning Fred. Now came United’s response: an impressive blend of stymying their visitor and classy pass-and-step-forward play. Anthony Martial showed a velcro touch, sticking the ball to a boot in midfield, and fed Rashford who skated ahead and re-found the Frenchman near the area. Tyrell Malacia, eventually, took over but when he crossed the offside flag went up.
United’s potency next had Fernandes fashioning a 40-yard pass into Martial, who spied the run of Rashford, but City escaped again. Fred, an intriguing Tan Hag selection, perhaps showed why he was in midfield via two challenges on De Bruyne that had the stadium – City enthusiasts apart – roaring.
Those with blue blood were far happier to see Riyad Mahrez deliver a corner, though Guardiola was frustrated when, later, Cancelo and the misfiring Phil Foden were not hit by Bernardo Silva via a quick switch left.
Erling Haaland had been a man starved of a chance to score goal No 24 until the ball dropped to him in the area, but the phenomenon refused to volley, took a touch and when unloading, Casemiro and Fred formed a Brazilian barrier. Haaland was a spectator throughout, unlike Fernandes, the whirr of creation who made United purr as when firing a 40-yard ball to Rashford. Ederson raced out – haplessly – and Fernandes might have lobbed him but swerved around the goalkeeper and shot: the effort was weak.
Martial, who passed a late fitness test, was replaced after the break by Antony, who was now United’s centre-forward and immediately became part of the press that suffocated City.
But when De Bruyne exchanged a one-two with Mahrez and raced down the right this signalled that City had taken charge. Guardiola introduced Grealish for Foden and they scored: Mahrez rolled the ball to De Bruyne and he stood up a delightful cross Grealish powered home.
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“Super Jack” sang the City congregation but they were hushed by what followed from Fernandes and Rashford. Old Trafford was in raptures – the home crowd a wall of noise. Towards the end challenges from Antony and Garnacho – on De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, respectively – were an apt emblem of how United brought the courage Erik ten Hag said had been missing when being blitzed 6-3 in October’s reverse fixture at the Etihad.
This is now a distant memory thanks to Rashford, who equalled Dennis Viollet’s record of scoring in nine consecutive home games – the same number his team have won on the bounce home and away in all competitions: their longest winning sequence since the nine of December-January 2016-17 under José Mourinho.
City, despite Guardiola’s view, should undertake serious soul-searching.
