Manchester City failed to capitalise on Chelsea’s slip-up in the race for Champions League football as the derby with Manchester United ended in a forgettable 0-0 draw.
City were seeking revenge for United’s smash-and-grab win at the Etihad Stadium in December, but Pep Guardiola’s men never offered a significant threat at Old Trafford.
Indeed, the famous fixture quickly developed into a disappointing spectacle, with neither side crafting much in the way of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.
Despite City being the team still with something to play for in the league, it was United who finished the stronger, but the goalless scoreline epitomised a season in which both clubs have fallen well short of expectations.
City would have moved into the top four with a victory. Instead they can now be leapfrogged in a crowded Champions League race by Newcastle United, who visit relegation-threatened Leicester City on Monday.
Manchester United v Manchester City
Though United threatened a fast start when Ruben Dias bundled over Alejandro Garnacho just outside the area in the first minute, the game quickly settled into a very uninspiring spectacle.
Bruno Fernandes, clearly the best player on the pitch, was reduced to remonstrating with teammates as promising build-up play was regularly wasted by poor execution in the final third.
City, meanwhile, were reduced to long-range efforts as they struggled to break down the hosts, Bernando Silva flashing one past the post, though Andre Onana always had it covered.
Omar Marmoush stung Onana’s palms a couple of times in the second half, yet it was United who continued to look the more likely to break the deadlock.
Fernandes always appeared the favourite to be the architect of an opener, though Patrick Dorgu’s left-wing cross almost proved telling as substitute Joshua Zirkzee’s first-time shot forced Ederson into action.
There was to be no decisive late sting in the tail, with United’s lack of energy perhaps connected to thoughts of Thursday’s quarter-final clash with Lyon in the Europa League, which represents their sole hope of salvaging a trophy from the season and their only possible route towards Champions League football next season.
The lack of risk employed by City was more perplexing, though with four of their final seven games taking place at home and with just one of the away games against a side in the top half, they will still expect to have enough to secure the fifth-place finish that should ensure they retain their place at Europe’s top table.
