Guardiola Left to Rue Missed Points as Derby Ends in Draw

Blunt and tame, this 196th Manchester derby was a curio that failed to ignite despite the cross-town rivalry.

- Jamie Jackson

Blunt and tame, this 196th Manchester derby was a curio that failed to ignite despite the cross-town rivalry. Towards the close, Joshua Zirkzee had the contest's clearest opening: the No 11 swung a boot at Patrick Dorgu's cross and connected cleanly, but Ederson saved, cat-like, and Manchester City escaped; as they did, also, when a later penalty shout for Mateo Kovacic's challenge on Casemiro was correctly waved away.

So this finished as a non-event in the sun, with scant incident and only marginally more goalmouth action. Pep Guardiola rued dropping two points in the chase for a Champions League berth - City remain fifth, while next for Ruben Amorim is United's Europa League quarter-final first leg at Lyon on Thursday. Claim the competition and the Portuguese's team will be in the blue riband continental club tournament next season, but the prospect is far away.

In the four minutes of added time, United rallied and were more potent, but both teams lacked imagination and ruthlessness before goal. As United's players wandered off at the final whistle, City went to thank their travelling fans, who applauded Kevin De Bruyne following his final match representing Guardiola's side at their arch-rival's home before departing in the summer.