Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho (centre) celebrates scoring against Manchester United in their English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. City won 2-1. (Photo: AP)
Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho (centre) celebrates scoring against Manchester United in their English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday. City won 2-1. (Photo: AP)
Pep Guardiola enjoyed victory over his old nemesis Jose Mourinho as his Manchester City side won 2-1 at Manchester United in Saturday’s eagerly anticipated derby at Old Trafford.
First-half goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho put City in control and despite new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo’s gaffe allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to hit back for United, City held firm.
It was the first encounter between Guardiola and Mourinho, former El Clasico sparring partners, since 2013 and gave the former Barcelona coach an eighth win in 17 encounters with the ex-Real Madrid manager.
City’s win, their 50th in competitive derby matches, saw them end United’s perfect start to the season.
It left Guardiola’s side and Chelsea, who visit Swansea City on Sunday, as the only teams in the Premier League with 100 percent records.
But Mourinho will have been angered by referee Mark Clattenburg’s decision not to award the home side a penalty after Bravo caught Wayne Rooney with a wild challenge inside the City area.
The United manager made two surprising changes to his team, awarding Henrikh Mkhitaryan his full debut and bringing in Jesse Lingard in place of Anthony Martial and Juan Mata.
But it was a move that backfired as City immediately took a grip on the game and went ahead in the 15th minute.
Aleksandar Kolarov’s high ball was flicked on by Iheanacho — in for the suspended Sergio Aguero — and De Bruyne beat Daley Blind to the ball before clinically wrong-footing David de Gea.
United had barely had a kick and Rooney’s frustration showed as he grappled with Guardiola for the ball at a throw-in before catching Fernandinho late.
There was worse to come for the United skipper as City made it 2-0, Iheanacho tapping in from six yards after De Bruyne’s low curler struck the base of the left-hand post.
Mourinho wore a face of thunder on the touchline, but Bravo gifted his side a lifeline three minutes before half-time.
