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If something sums up the modern Manchester United, it's the last act of the night of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a double substitution seven minutes from the end.
The lost part, pride trampled under the feet of an azure blue and hope party, Solskjaer sent Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez.
One futures contract cost about 55 million pounds to buy, the other the best part of 2 million pounds a month to pay. Martial, a stranger bought over the heads of the screening service. Sanchez bought just because he was willing to say no to Manchester City.
Manchester United plays a role in a title battle between his two biggest rivals
Here, while City was preparing to leave Old Trafford with one foot on the finish line of the Premier League title race, Martial and Sanchez went on the field with absolutely nothing to offer and more the time to offer it. As a symbol of a struggling football club, it was rather appropriate.
At that time, one of City's replacements had sealed the match. Leroy Sane is a young German girl bought as a work in progress.
He did not play as much as he would have liked recently, but his impact was devastating. In contrast, the only devastation caused by any of United's modern signatures lies in the club's record.
For example, before the arrival of Martial and Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku had also done so. It cost about 90 million pounds two summers ago and was bought from the club that beat United 4-0 this weekend, Everton.
Solskjaer sent Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez seven minutes from Wednesday
It is therefore not difficult to detect the trend and the reasons why United continues to make waves in the lowlands are clear. Their players are usually not good enough and that is what will undermine Solskjaer as he tries to move his club forward now.
The defeat was only by two and a half of the first half, United was competitive. They played with some energy and we did not always say it.
But again, the gap between the two Manchester clubs was obvious and other statistics tell us a lot.
United had a shot and it was hard to remember. At Everton on Sunday, they also had one. Against Barcelona two weeks ago, they did not have one.
They recently beat West Ham with two penalties and it's now 527 minutes since they started.
So, as they sang for Solskjaer before the kickoff, it was easy to understand why.
Leroy Sane, one of City's substitutes, sealed the match by scoring the visitors' goal.
At Old Trafford, what else can I sing? They do not have more heroes on the field and the only hope of moving towards the end of the season is that Solskjaer becomes something quite special.
Under United, at United, foundations have collapsed. Solskjaer preceded this derby by taking his players to the former club training grounds. It was a good idea but probably the bad one.
The days when players like Patrice Evra watched documentaries about the Munich disaster are over. History is of little importance to the modern footballer and United is a football club that desperately needs to look forward rather than backward.
Here, the day of the derby, United has at least had the opportunity to become relevant again, if only for one evening. Six years have pbaded since they 've been running a title race, but here they could have their say in someone else' s war if only they could find a voice enough. strong.
The storm that hit Manchester two hours before the kick-off seemed to indicate what we were hoping to follow, especially considering the pre-match exchange between Pep Guardiola and Solskjaer regarding City's allegations of "tactical fouls" .
The story is of little importance to the modern footballer and United is a club that needs to go from the front
Interestingly, the former United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was heard in private on Monday, expressing sentiments identical to those described by Solskjaer a day later.
The two men are close. Did Ferguson have a word in the ear of his former player on the subject? We will make our own idea about it.
Whatever the details and motivations of this problem, United had to echo the power of the badertions of his current manager on the ground to have the slightest chance against a team as technically and physically superior.
Too often against the good teams of the modern era, United was shown pbadive, then – usually when it was too late – hopelessly reactive.
Here at least the Solskjaer team was on the front foot and played with determination from the start. City was sometimes nervous at the back, if only by its own high standards.
So it was at least a contest, but the lingering feeling was that it would not stay so long as City would not score – and City would still score.
David de Gea saw his football club burn slowly in the post-Ferguson years
The back of the first half seemed revealing. United's own storm – as it was – seemed to have collapsed and the City players came into the open playing a better and more progressive football that felt too good for their opponents.
The goals that were won seemed simple but told us a lot. City fast and smooth and percussive. United slow, vulnerable and prone to self harm.
David de Gea, a player whose regression sums up United's discomfort more than any other, may have saved the first and should have saved the second.
De Gea saw his football club burn slowly in the post-Ferguson years. It's a miracle that he's still here.
When he looks at Solskjaer, he must see a brave man doing his best, but he must also be wondering how long it will take him before he disappears into the same black hole as everyone else.
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