Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City result - Derby stalemate at Old Trafford

Manchester City missed the chance to climb to fourth in the Premier League as they were held to a goalless draw by Manchester United at Old Trafford. 

In what has been a disappointing campaign for both sides of Manchester, it was an uninspiring afternoon with both teams struggling to create chances of note. 

Joshua Zirkzee came the closest to breaking the deadlock late on as he was picked out in the box and directed a half-volley goalbound but it was parried away by Ederson. 

The visitors’ best opening came just after the break as Casemiro’s challenge inadvertently played Phil Foden in on goal but the England man skewed his effort horribly wide under pressure from Noussair Mazraoui. 

Omar Marmoush looked the likeliest source of goals for Pep Guardiola’s men but was kept at bay by Andre Onana, who reacted well in the second half to deal with a thunderous volley from the Egyptian. 

United skipper Bruno Fernandes was by far and away the best player on the pitch and did his best to create chances for his side, particularly in the opening period, but the lack of quality around him was evident with Alejandro Garnacho, Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu all squandering openings.

Garnacho, who has been struggling for any run of form this season, was played through on goal in the opening seconds of the match and drew a foul from Ruben Dias on the edge of the box but that was as good as it got for the Argentinian. 

Kevin De Bruyne, playing in his final Manchester derby after announcing his departure at the end of the season, failed to have the impact we have become familiar with in this fixture over the years, only managing a couple of soft attempts from range. 

The draw sees City miss the chance to climb to fourth following Chelsea's goalless draw with Brentford earlier in the day and instead remain in fifth, a point behind The Blues. 

Guardiola's men now have just one win in their last four league games but go a point ahead of Aston Villa in sixth and two ahead of Newcastle United in seventh, though The Magpies have two games in hand.

The reigning champions will be desperate to get back to winning form in their next couple of games as they host Crystal Palace before making the trip to Goodison Park to face Everton.

As for United, the point sees them climb back up to 13th after Tottenham Hotspur momentarily leapfrogged them with a win that relegated Southampton earlier on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim's men are four points behind Brentford in 12th as a bottom-half finish looks increasingly likely.

The result also means The Red Devils will now finish with their lowest Premier League points tally, now unable to match the 60 recorded last season.

Up next for United is the first leg of their season-defining UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie away at Lyon, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, before they return to Premier League action with a trip to Newcastle.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC said: "Tight game. They had chances, we had chances as well. The only problem is we moved too much with the ball. We had to be in the right position and we didn't do that."

On his team selection, he said: "I think they played really good. Rico [Lewis] was really good. Satisfied with all of them."

Discussing how the front line will operate without Erling Haaland, he said: "It depends. We put players with the sense of goal, with Omar [Marmoush] and Phil [Foden]. Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan] and Kev [De Bruyne] with good crosses and passes into them.

"We have lived this many years. We were really good in our intensity. In that terms we are satisfied for the way we have done it."

On Nico O'Reilly's performance: "Really good, especially in the first half. Really pleased."

United boss Ruben Amorim, discussing what they need to do to return to the top level, said: "I'm not naive or crazy, I can see the moment we are in, I can look at the opponents and understand there is a big gap, but as a leader I cannot say we are going to take all of the time to close the gap.

"Even if we bring in more players we have to hurry and show urgency to do better because we don't have much time at a club like this. We are in a rush."

On whether the struggles of both teams affected the intensity of the game, he said: "If you look at the moment of both teams, not fighting for titles, that changes the game completely.

"The feeling of winning, not being able to lose one point, that feeling is not here. As the coach it's hard to say that. We need to fight for big things, if we do then the feeling will be completely different."

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, speaking to Sky Sports, said: "I think we had some chances to win the game. We tried to use the space in transitions, defending in a low block, but we had our chances.

"We had some moments with the ball, we pushed City into their half, we were closer to a goal but we can accept a draw. We were closer to the goal, they had more possession but that is normal."

On what United need to improve, he said: "We have so many aspects to improve. Everywhere we need to improve in every aspect, build up, transition, decisions in the final third.

"Every player can improve, they are here because they showed something at other clubs. They have the quality, we are still a team that plays on transition, we need to spend more time in final third to have more opportunities."

Speaking on Sky Sports, Gary Neville said: "I think the congratulations and love-in that I'm watching says both teams are happy with a 0-0.

"The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they've approached the end of that game.

"It looks like it's Sunday afternoon and they're going to go for a roast dinner together now.

"They're micromanaged to an inch of their lives, so robotic and it's symptomatic of a lot of games that we're watching nowadays.

"I'm disappointed, it's a Manchester derby, it should have more blood, thunder, and risk and courage involved in playing the game and winning the game than that."

It is United pushing for the winner as they swing a host of crosses into the box in the closing stages but it comes to nothing and it ends goalless at Old Trafford.

In what has been a disappointing campaign for both sides, it was a disappointing game for the neutral this afternoon but both sides look reasonably satisfied with a point.

Mount drives United on and feeds Zirkzee into the right channel but his cross seeking out Garnacho loitering at the back post is a hopeful one and Silva heads away.

The Portuguese then puts the tackle in on Dorgu and wins the goal-kick for his side. Old Trafford are unhappy with that decision.

Fernandes' corner is headed clear only as far as Dorgu on the edge of the box but the wing-back slices his volley well wide of the left post.

Nunes and Dorgu have a slightly unfortunate collision and the latter is left in a heap on the floor so we're just going to have a break in play as he receives treatment with the clock ticking past the 90. There will be at least four minutes added on. Can either side find the winner?

Mount's low ball into the box from the right finds the feet of Zirkzee and he takes a smart first touch to work the ball onto his right foot but his shot is blocked.

Fernandes then swings a dangerous cross into the area that is headed over the bar by Gvardiol and Old Trafford let out a roar as they hope for a winner from this corner.

Marmoush gets there first to prod the ball past Yoro, forcing the defender to drag him down, earning himself the yellow card.

United are soon coming forward though, and you have to say it's the hosts who are pressing and looking the more likely to find the winner here.

Fernandes frees Garnacho down United's left. He cuts inside but his effort takes a nick and deflects wide of the left post for a corner. United go short and win a free-kick from a similar position.

Following Fernandes' inswinger, the ball breaks loose and Casemiro and Kovacic look to pounce. The Brazilian appears to get there first as Kovacic takes a big swing at it but makes no connection with the ball. The United man goes down and there are huge penalty appeals but the referee waves it on and VAR agrees.

Probably the right call, with very little or even no contact between the pair.

Garnacho slides Dorgu into the left channel and he picks out Zirkzee who sweeps a half-volley goalbound but Ederson does well to react and parry away.

The ball drops to Mount but his volleyed effort is blocked by Lewis. Much better from United.

Changes now for City as Gundogan and O'Reilly are replaced by Grealish and Lewis. Can the former build on his goal against Leicester City in the week?

Not long after coming on and Mount goes into the book for barging over Silva as City looked to break.

Casemiro's cross from the right is cleared to the edge of the box where Ugarte is waiting and his half-volley is a pure one but it whistles wide of the right post. A similar chance to Marmoush's moments before.

A double-change now from the hosts as Mount and Zirkzee come on in place of Ugarte and Hojlund.

De Bruyne's free-kick from the left is flicked behind for a corner from the opposite side. The Belgian's next delivery is headed half-clear by Maguire but it bounces to Marmoush who unleashes a thunderous volley.

It's straight at Onana but the keeper still needs to react quickly to parry away before O'Reilly caught offside on the rebound.

Doku looks to spin Mazraoui and gets in a wrestling match with the defender but does win the foul. Good strength shown by the winger there.

A couple of moments later and he nips past Dalot in vintage fashion before the full-back tugs him back to earn himself the yellow card.

The ball is played into the feet of Marmoush on the edge of the box with his back to goal and he draws the foul from Lindelof in a really promising position.

It's Marmoush who steps up, about 27 yards out, and it's well-hit by the City man, but Onana is across well to prevent it from finding the top right corner.

O'Reilly has it pinched from him by Mazraoui and Garnacho finds Fernandes on the edge of the area.

He feeds Dorgu to his left and as the wing-back delivers a low cross into the box, Dias slips and has to deal with it using his chest while face-down on the turf.

There are huge appeals for a handball but the referee waves play on and it's the correct call.

A change for either side now, just before the hour mark and Foden is replaced by Doku for City while Maguire makes way for Lindelof for the hosts.

Ugarte commits the foul on Silva and then gets involved in a spat with with the Portuguese and his team-mate Dias. The temperature has just started to rise in this derby now.

The City free-kick into the box finds the head of O'Reilly but United can clear before Marmoush's low effort from the left of the box is straight at Onana.