{"id":95298,"date":"2023-10-30T01:41:50","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T01:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/?p=95298"},"modified":"2023-10-30T01:41:50","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T01:41:50","slug":"erik-ten-hag-pressure-builds-as-man-utds-best-players-highlight-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stopsmokingway.com\/soccer\/erik-ten-hag-pressure-builds-as-man-utds-best-players-highlight-woes\/","title":{"rendered":"Erik ten Hag pressure builds as Man Utd’s best players highlight woes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manchester United vs Manchester City in pictures<\/h3>\n

If the celebrations, led by Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola, seemed a touch excessive with players dancing in front of their fans in the corner as Manchester United\u2019s fans filed out, that was the point. Because when the dust settles on this one sided contest, this was neither a surprise or upset in a Manchester derby, it was nothing more than routine.<\/p>\n

Two goals for Haaland and one for Phil Foden settled a contest that empahsised the gulf between these sides \u2013 one that has increased since last year when Erik ten Hag\u2019s arrival brought such promise. Yes, United might have scored, but it looked all night that if they had City would simply have moved up another gear.<\/p>\n

Haaland has now got 11 goals in the Premier League this season \u2013 the same number as United who after this sit four places and eight points away from the final Champions League slot. It is an unpalatable but inescapable truth for many round here to swallow that if the challenge to City\u2019s crown arrives in a red shirt it will be from north London or Merseyside not Old Trafford.<\/p>\n

For City, who lost here last January, this was a win which kept them third in touch of Spurs two points from the summit. Traditionally stronger as the seasons progresses this is promising for October. United spent most of this match under lock and key in their own half, infrequent attempts to break out smothered all too easily by the guards patrolling City\u2019s backline.<\/p>\n

JUST IN: <\/strong> Gary Neville snaps back at Jamie Carragher as tensions rise after Man Utd defeat<\/strong><\/p>\n

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It was hard to pick out players who performed well, with Christian Eriksen and Andre Onana standing out in a poor display overall. City were not at their fluent best in the first half but when they got two up in the second half they were irresistible. United were swept aside.<\/p>\n

United felt aggrieved to go behind just before the half hour \u2013 a soft free kick given away by Sofyan Amrabat on Phil Foden and a penalty delivered by VAR when Rasmus Hojlund was judged to have wrestled Rodri to the ground. Referee Paul Tierney had seen nothing untoward but was called to the monitor by the VAR and gave it, Haaland hammering home the penalty.<\/p>\n

It was a low bar against which to judge and by such standards almost every match this weekend should have featured a penalty. But what transpired over the next hour or so gradually took it from United\u2019s grasping hands as significant grievance in the grand scheme of things. And with City doubling their lead early in the second half they were able to release the handbrake.<\/p>\n