Opinion | Manchester United’s derby win over City hints at Solskjaer’s vision of future as academy products and his signings shine at The Etihad
- Mancunian striker Rashford scores opener in 179th meeting of local rivals turned global giants
- Beating champions City was club’s best result since overcoming PSG away in the Uefa Champions League in March
Two Manchester City stewards crossed the streamlined modern bridge linking the club’s training ground to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, walking towards a large police wall which would separate 51,000 home fans from 3,000 away fans.
“It’s the first derby I’ve not been nervous about,” says one. His colleague agrees. Nearby, City legend Shaun Goater was similarly confident.
And rightly so. The champions were about to face a Manchester United with a solitary away league win all season. City had wobbled a bit recently in the league, but they’d outclassed United in previous derbies, beating them twice last season.
The atmosphere took time to build before the big match. Fans arrive late to games in England.
“The first game you look for in the calendar is about to begin,” said City’s public address announcer. “The current holders of all four domestic trophies. The formidables. Our boys in blue …”
There were numerous flags about it being “Our city” – the inference being that Manchester belongs to City and not United. That’s the Abu Dhabi-owned, Catalan-managed (on and off the field) club with no Mancunians in their first team against United’s, with three local boys.
