Pep Guardiola embraces lack of control during a very English derby

Pep Guardiola tends to look a little tired at the final whistle. At Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon he looked closer to exhausted: drawn, pale, woozy, a man released from some gorgeously more-ish kind of agony.

It had been a notably agitated afternoon even for Guardiola, who lives every detail of these matches, who famously split his trousers capering about during last year’s Champions League quarter-final, and who looks set for a particularly draining season in a league where the tides are always shifting, and where at times he can resemble a chess grand master chucked into the middle of a full-contact game of It’s a Knockout. Guardiola craves control, loves working the details. His greatest challenge in the Premier League may well be embracing the lack of control, the random elements, where the moment is often decided on luck, muscle, adrenal inspiration. Asked how what he had just experienced compared with the full-body intensity of el clásico he smiled and nodded and said: “It’s quite similar … Quite similar.”

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Whatever Guardiola achieves at Manchester City, he won’t die wondering if he might have given a little more. By the end of this febrile 2-1 derby win he had probably covered more ground over 90 minutes than United’s centre‑forward. Midway through the second half he could be seen exploding off his bench, head in hands, sprinting down the touchline keeping pace with Ander Herrera as the midfielder set off on a run to take David de Gea’s long throw. Welcome Pep. Welcome to our world.

This was a wonderful and indeed very English match between the two most expensive sets of players (and managers) ever assembled, a derby that thrummed up through the gears from City’s early control through to a wild last half-hour. Victory leaves City with a perfect record at the top of the table. More satisfying for Guardiola was the fact his team won here despite having to scrap and strain during an impressively direct second-half rally from United.

City had dominated the cool clear water of the opening 35 minutes when patterns were clear, the passing crisp and their pressing devastatingly well‑drilled. Guardiola set up his team in a 4-1-2-2-1, with the most forward midfield two very wide. With David Silva in wonderful ball-playing form it was a shape that flattered City’s fluid movement, while magnifying United’s main weakness. Deprived of the ball, United looked lumpen, with three genuinely slow players in the front six. This was a team set up to play counterattack but without the required personnel. When was the last time Zlatan Ibrahimovic played in a team that didn’t have the ball most of the time most weeks? Here he looked at times like a man for whom football is a good walk spoiled.

Afterwards José Mourinho pointed out Claudio Bravo might easily have conceded a penalty for a hapless lunge into Wayne Rooney’s shin with 20 minutes left. Details change games. But the fact remains that for the opening half here City looked like a team enjoying playing football, energised by their new rhythms, while United’s players spent a lot of time shouting at each other over issues of positioning and press.

The opening goal was preceded by just such a moment of confusion. Ibrahimovic stood off as City’s defence played the ball around in their own area. This looked like a plan: United were wary of the high press. Mourinho has seen his teams taken apart against Guardiola playing these tactics. As the crowd roared, and with Rooney now urging his team-mates forward, United did press a little belatedly, but with no real pressure on Aleksandar Kolarov as he hoofed the ball upfield. There was, though, a loss of shape behind as Paul Pogba watched Kevin De Bruyne run beyond him and both centre-halves made weak challenges. De Bruyne produced a gorgeous finish, dummying De Gea one way and rolling the ball into the other corner.

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Mourinho will see a systems failure. United slackened and lost their starting positions. But the admission that Marcus Rashford’s introduction at half‑time offered the speed and boldness lacking in his initial selection reflects the fact the goal was deserved. City had been quicker to every ball, United playing from the start like a team defending a 1-0 aggregate lead away from home.

In the end it was Bravo who changed the game, flapping at Rooney’s pumped free-kick just before half-time and getting in a muddle with Stones. Ibrahimovic finished beautifully. Perhaps City’s goalkeeper should have gone for the cross with his feet. After the game Guardiola and Nolito went into bat for their goalkeeper, describing his performance as “amazing” and “special”. In reality Bravo, who is a high-quality goalkeeper, just didn’t look ready for this game.

His edginess gave United a moment of leverage, gave the crowd something to bark about, and is likely to ensure an unhelpful singling out under the high ball from future opponents. At times here, lunging about in his luminous outfit, Bravo resembled a steward who had been stung by a wasp and come capering on to the pitch in a panic. He should have been sent off for that tackle on Rooney. Later he was revenge-tackled by United’s captain (Rooney was lucky: he missed) and hurled himself to the floor, writhing in feigned agony.

Until Bravo’s intervention City had been toying with United at times. Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal, City’s second, was made by the sublime De Bruyne, who provided more evidence here that he is clearly the most effective player in the Premier League right now. “Kevin had an amazing, amazing game,” Guardiola drooled. It seems likely to be a fruitful partnership.

Similarly Mourinho’s genuine enthusiasm for Rashford’s impact promises much, just as the second half had its positives for both teams. City showed they can also win ugly, that there is a spirit and defensive will in this team to match its fine ambitions. United, for all the occasional bluntness of their methods, looked like a team that really did want to win. They forced the best team in the country back for long periods. This is progress.

At the end there was even a little mutual softening from both managers. “The substitutions of my colleague were really good,” Guardiola said through his exhaustion, praising the repositioning of Pogba, Herrera’s introduction and the “amazing foot” of Daley Blind. It was that kind of occasion. Pep, José and the Premier League. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.