Solskjaer's future back in focus after another Old Trafford defeat for Man United
Manchester City's Bernardo Silva scores the second goal at Old Trafford. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found his future back under intense focus after a derby defeat that was far more comfortable for Pep Guardiola’s side than the scoreline suggested.
Returning to Old Trafford for the first time since the catastrophic five-goal defeat to Liverpool, United avoided similar humiliation but were, nevertheless, comfortably beaten.
Defeat left Solskjaer’s side with one win from their last six league games and on a run that has brought four points from the last available 18.
The half-time boos that greeted United as they left the field were, at least, not repeated on the final whistle but there is no doubt that Solskjaer is currently battling for his future.
The writing was on the wall for United when their visitors raced into a seventh-minute lead and the only surprise was that it took City until first-half injury-time to double their lead.
That second goal came from Bernardo Silva who caught Luke Shaw asleep, sprinting to the far post and turning in Joao Cancelo’s floated cross.
Silva forced the ball between the United keeper and his near post although de Gea had been badly let down by Shaw and Harry Maguire as they failed to track back.
And Solskjaer had de Gea to thank for United even being within two goals of rampant City by the time the interval arrived.
De Gea made an incredible block from Gabriel Jesus, tipped a Cancelo drive over, kept out a deflection from Victor Lindelof and went on to deny Kevin de Bruyne and Cancelo, again - all in the first half.
City had raced into that early lead with a sign of things to come as United defended poorly and failed to clear their lines.
Kyle Walker’s cross was almost converted by Ilkay Gundogan before City re-cycled the ball, Cancelo attacked and crossed from the left and Eric Bailly put into his own net.
A first half volley from Cristiano Ronaldo, which was parried by Ederson and flew just beyond Mason Greenwood, was United’s only real attack of note.
And Solskjaer duly changed formation at the interval, in order to accommodate Jadon Sancho as a half-time sub, although the change had little impact.
City were more than happy to sit back and invite United on and bookings for Cancelo and Silva showed their policy of letting their hosts keep the ball.
Greenwood shot well wide from the edge of the area on the hour and soon made way for Marcus Rashford as Solskjaer desperately looked for a way back in.
But in a much more subdued second half, it was City who predictably looked the more likely to score with Gundogan mis-controlling in a good position and De Bruyne volleying another effort wide.
In the closing minutes, Foden raced through and rolled a shot past de Gea which struck the outside of the post and flew behind.
De Gea 9; Lindelof 5, Bailly 5 (Sancho 45, 5), Maguire 4; Wan-Bissaka 4, Fernandes 5, McTominay 6, Fred 4 (van de Beek 79, 5), Shaw 4 (Telles 73, 5); Greenwood 5 (Rashford 66, 6), Ronaldo 6.
Martial, Lingard, Dalot, Henderson, Matic.
Ederson 7; Walker 7, Stones 7, Dias 7, Cancelo 9; Gundogan 7, Rodri 8, Silva 7; Jesus 7, De Bruyne 8, Foden 8.
Ake, Sterling, Grealish, Zinchenko, Steffen, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Carson, Palmer.
M Oliver 8.
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