What a dramatic Manchester derby it was! Leading 1-0 early in the game it seemed done and dusted for Premier League champions Man City. They were playing at home and it seemed unthinkable that they would let their great rivals Man United beat them in front of their enthusiastic home support.
But the unthinkable did happen. Man City gave away a penalty and Man United captain Bruno Fernandes did not miss from the penalty spot and equalised.
And then, late in the game, came a dramatic twist in the derby when Man United struck home at the 90th minute from an Amad Diallo strike. Etihad Stadium went silent.
The world’s greatest manager could not believe what he saw. He slumped to the ground and covered his face in humiliation. He had never been in such a crisis. So early in the season, his team had already lost seven games. It was the worst nightmare in his illustrious career.
In the news conference after the match Pep appeared to be a very distraught man. Could this, then, be the killer blow for Pep Guardiola? Are his glory days at Man City over?
In his last seven years at the Etihad he had won six Premier League trophies. In all, he had accumulated 15 major trophies, including one in the Champions League.
But now everything seems to be falling apart. Man City face 115 charges by the Premier League for breaking its fair- play financial rules. It was oil money that had taken Man City to ride the crest of the waves. If found guilty, they could be relegated to a lower division and could even lose the trophies they had won.
I had never been a supporter of Man United. But this time I was. You could not have asked for better entertainment for the festive period than this heart- stopping Manchester derby. Of course, credit must go to new United manager Ruben Amorim. With the same players, he has turned around the fortunes of Man United. After many years, Manchester is red again.
T MARKANDAN | Kloof
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