Ten Hag almost left City without a trophy again. But Ederson both saved and scored

In recent years, the two Manchester teams have been complete opposites. While City has been consistently strong, United fluctuates between highs and lows. The past season brought Josep Guardiola another title while adding headaches for Erik Ten Hag, putting him on the brink of being fired. However, the Dutchman managed to avoid the worst-case scenario.

In the first match of the season, these two teams were set to compete for the country's Super Cup. This renewed vote of confidence seemed to inspire Ten Hag and his squad, as they played a decent game. At the very least, there was no overwhelming dominance from City.

Guardiola's team attacked more, but United defended calmly and launched sharp counterattacks. The match seemed to be heading for a draw until Alejandro Garnacho suddenly ignited the game. The Argentine did it all himself: he entered the penalty area and struck a shot that couldn't be stopped. It would be foolish to blame Ederson, but criticism should be directed at City's attack.

It's unclear what's happening with Erling Haaland. While it was unreasonable to expect the Norwegian to shine every season, his performance has been steadily declining. With Garnacho scoring in the 82nd minute, the scent of a sensational upset hung in the air, especially since United had already snatched the FA Cup from their city rivals.

But City had their own savior—actually, two of them. First, Bernardo Silva, who got ahead of the defense after a cross from Oscar Bobb. This happened just a minute before regular time ended, leading the game to a penalty shootout, where the goalkeepers took center stage.

Ironically, the first to falter was the Portuguese, who couldn't outsmart Andre Onana. However, there was no surprise here, as Ederson was in top form. Not only did he save Jadon Sancho's shot, but he also stepped up to take a penalty—and scored! United missed another attempt, though Ederson had nothing to do with it—Evans simply shot over the bar.

In the end, Guardiola did claim the trophy. But the Spaniard needs to revitalize his praised attack, which has fallen into a slump. While De Bruyne can attribute some of his decline to age, Haaland has no such excuses.

Published by Patrick Jane
12.08.2024