'They should be ashamed' - toothless derby ends in Guardiola fuming over 'classless' chants

“Honestly, I don't understand the mind of people involving the name of Phil’s mum, in that," the City boss said after the drab stalemate. 

PUSHBACK: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the Premier League match at Old Trafford. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

A DISAPPOINTING goalless Manchester derby, that peaked inside its opening minute, summed up the poor league campaigns being endured by both clubs and left Pep Guardiola accusing rival supporters of a lack of class.

It was a sign of how poor the game was that the biggest talking point, and the one that elicited the most anger out of the City manager, centred on insulting chants made by United supporters about his star Phil Foden’s mother during the game.

“A lack of class, but it is not United, it is the people,” said Guardiola. “We are so exposed, people who are now on the screen in world football - managers, owners and football players, especially.

“And, honestly, I don't understand the mind of people involving the name of Phil’s mum, in that. So it's a lack of integrity, a lack of class and they should be ashamed. But it is what it is, so it’s happening everywhere, I would say, not just in UK; everywhere.” As for on the field matters, the point apiece also left the two rivals staring at an unwanted 30-year-old record.

Not since 1995-96 has there been a season without a Manchester club in the Champions League, a target Ruben Amorim can attain if United win the Europa League, in which they face a quarter-final first leg in Lyon on Thursday.

Despite the goalless draw, Guardiola’s team is still in the top five, which will almost certainly mean the Champions League, but face a tough battle to stay there, with Aston Villa and Newcastle hot on their heels and in far better form.

Given the low quality and lack of entertainment on display in this meeting, it was certainly hard to make a case that either side deserves to be there next season, although Champions League football remains a necessity for both, if only from a financial point of view.

On the final whistle, both sets of players, and coaches, mixed on the pitch, exchanging hugs and pleasantries which, while a fine advert for Mancunian bonhomie and sportsmanship, was hardly the stuff we have come to expect from our derbies over the years. A penny for Roy Keane’s thoughts.

Perhaps the camaraderie was part of the issue behind this toothless affair. Yet, the opening 35 seconds of this game had hinted that this might be a derby day classic in the making.

Alejandro Garnacho surged through on goal only to be brought down by Ruben Dias, with many in the crowd thinking referee John Brooks had awarded a United penalty.

Instead, he had correctly given the hosts a free-kick on the edge of the area, which Bruno Fernandes struck straight into the City wall. Little did a sell-out Old Trafford know then, that was as exciting as it would get.

The best chances thereafter probably fell to United although, with only 37 goals now from 31 league games, it was probably no surprise that Ederson was not forced into a serious save until late in proceedings when United sub Joshua Zirkzee connected with Patrick Dorgu's cross and the City keeper parried the ball away athletically.

Amorim at least was frank when asked where he thought his team needed to improve. “Everywhere,” he replied, to the general agreement of everyone who endured this 90 minutes.

"We have so many aspects to improve. Everywhere we need to improve in every aspect, build up, transition, decisions in the final third. Every player can improve, they are here because they showed something at other clubs.” 

After that opening minute, the rest of United's threats barely lived up to the name, while City, without the injured Erling Haaland, hardly represented an attacking threat themselves and were limited to long-range efforts.

Part of City’s problem lay in the make-up of the team - midfield trio Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic are a combined 97 years old - which meant they lacked the pace to unlock a defence-first United.

De Bruyne, who announced on Friday that he will be leaving City at the end of the season, had been the focus of the pre-match build-up but was a shadow of former glories in his last derby. It was left to Omar Marmoush to produce a couple of rare, exciting moments, the best a volley from the edge of the area which Andre Onana did brilliantly to keep out with a flying stop.

A win would certainly have helped City’s bid for the top five but Guardiola remained predictably unflappable. “Right now, we have eight games left, we go for it,” he said.

“I’d prefer to have 10 or 12 more points and in previous seasons we had already qualified by this stage. But it is what it is. This is Old Trafford, it’s always difficult here.” 

Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Onana 7; Yoro 6, Maguire 6 (Lindelof 57, 5), Mazraoui 7; Dalot 6, Ugarte 6 (Mount 70, 5), Casemiro 7, Dorgu 5; Fernandes 6, Garnacho 6; Hojlund 4 (Zirkzee 70, 7). Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Eriksen, Shaw, Amass, Chido, Kukonki.

Manchester City (4-1-2-1-2): Ederson 7; Nunes 6, Dias 6, Gvardiol 6, O’Reilly 6 (Lewis 73, 5); Kovacic 6; Silva 6, Gundogan 6 (Grealish 73, 5); De Bruyne 7; Foden 5 (Doku 57, 5), Marmoush 7. Substitutes (not used) Ortega, Gonzalez, Savinho, Reis, Bobb, McAtee.

Referee: J Brooks 7