In a tense Manchester Derby, Manchester United stunned their city rivals with a 2-1 victory in Matchweek 16. A late flurry from United broke City’s resilience, as Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo found the net in the dying minutes. City, despite dominating possession (52%), struggled to break down United’s defensive wall and paid the price.
Key Stats
Shots: City 10, United 9
Shots on Target: City 1, United 3
Possession (%): City 52, United 48
xG: City 0.7, United 1.6
Fouls: City 5, United 14
Corners: City 8, United 2
Momentum and Expected Goals (xG)
The momentum chart reveals a relatively flat performance for United until the closing stages, where the game turned dramatically in their favor. City’s xG of 0.7 reflected their struggles to create clear chances, while United capitalized on their late opportunities, finishing with an xG of 1.6.
Shots and Goals Analysis
Manchester City:
Shots: 10
Shots on Target: 1
Goals: 1 (J. Gvardiol, 36’)
City’s only goal came from a low xG chance (0.09), highlighting their lack of clinical edge. Nine shots were off-target, frustrating the Etihad faithful.
Manchester United:
Shots: 9
Shots on Target: 3
Goals: 2 (Bruno Fernandes, 87’; Amad Diallo, 89’)
United’s two late goals demonstrated their efficiency, both coming from promising central positions (0.82 and 0.34 xG, respectively).
Possession Tactics
Manchester City:
City dominated possession, with intricate passing patterns through Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and İlkay Gündoğan. The pass map shows heavy reliance on wide outlets like Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku, though these efforts failed to translate into decisive shots.
Manchester United:
United’s pass map highlights a compact, counter-attacking approach. Bruno Fernandes orchestrated the midfield, linking up well with Mason Mount and Rasmus Højlund. The backline, anchored by Martínez and Maguire, remained disciplined under pressure.
Manchester City will rue their missed opportunities, while United fans will savor a smash-and-grab derby victory. Rúben Amorim’s side executed a perfect late-game plan, proving that clinical finishing and resilience can outshine possession dominance.