Football Features

    Full player ratings as Man City humble Man Utd in first EFL Cup semi-final showdown

    By Mohamed Moallim

    Published: 22:15, 7 January 2020

    Manchester City took a big step towards defending their EFL Cup crown after leaving rivals Manchester United with an emphatic 3-1 victory.

    Pep Guardiola’s men were back to their virtuoso best in the first semi-final leg at Old Trafford with the game effectively sewn up before it was even 40 minutes old.

    Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and an unfortunate Andreas Pereora own goal handed the visitors an emphatic lead before Marcus Rashford pulled one back for United midway through the second half.

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has it all to do when both teams reconvene at the Etihad Stadium at the end of January, before then here’s how the players rated at Old Trafford:

    Man Utd

    David de Gea – 4 – Another game without a clean sheet, but you can hardly blame De Gea for City’s opener through Bernardo Silva. However, the same cannot be said for their second.

    Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 5 – Struggled to get into the game, had the least touches (54) of anyone in Man Utd’s defence.

    Victor Lindelöf – 5 – A game of two halves for the Swedish centre-back, abject in the first before becoming more proactive after the break.

    Phil Jones – 4 – Will look back on Bernardo Silva’s opening goal and think he could have done more to close him down.

    Brandon Williams – 5 – Simply overwhelmed. His inexperience was there for all to see.

    Andreas Pereira – 5 – Really, really unlucky to inadvertently put the ball into the back of his own net.

    Fred – 5 – Same as Jones as he was in the vicinity of Bernardo Silva before he put City in front and could have done a little bit more. Proved to be Man Utd’s most prolific tackler in the game.

    Daniel James – 4 – Struggled to get into the contest as City expectedly took control of the game. Taken off in the second half.

    Jesse Lingard – 3 – Unfortunately for his manager this was yet another game that passed him by. Hooked off at half-time.

    Marcus Rashford – 6 – Kept his cool when bearing down on goal to give Man Utd something to smile about.

    Mason Greenwood – 6 – Entrusted to lead Man Utd’s line and didn’t really put a foot wrong, once in possession Greenwood’s sole focus was to drive his team forward.

    Substitutes:

    Nemanja Matic (for Lingard 46) – 6 – Brought some much-needed composure to Man Utd’s midfield.

    Angel Gomes (for James 64) – 6 – Tried to get involved as much as possible, but couldn’t affect the game.

    Anthony Martial (for Greenwood 81) – N/A – A late sub.

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    Man City

    Claudio Bravo – 6 – Expected to be kept busy instead was forced to pick the ball out just once.

    Kyle Walker – 7 – Enjoyed the freedom of City’s right flank and caused Man Utd several headaches; gave the inexperienced left-back Williams a tough evening.

    Rodri – 6 – Kept things simple playing between City’s defensive and midfield lines. Was booked in the second half following a tactical foul and gave the ball away which led to Rashford’s goal.

    Fernandinho – 7 – Enjoyed a relatively comfortable evening. His conversion from a defensive midfielder to libero continues unabated.

    Nicolás Otamendi – 6 – A much more reassuring performance given recent events (i.e. at Molineux).

    Benjamin Mendy – 7 – At times he was like a one-man left-wing, never stopped bombing up and down the flank as City grabbed the game with both hands.

    Kevin De Bruyne – 7 – His quick feet bamboozled Jones in the lead up to City’s third. Wasn’t his usual imperious self but didn’t need to be.

    İlkay Gündoğan – 7 – Keep things ticking over as City stamped their authority onto the game.

    Riyad Mahrez – 8 – A constant threat in behind, no one on the pitch completed more take-ons than him (five). He coolly rounded De Gea to double the visitors lead.

    Bernardo Silva – 9 – Unstoppable. What a stunning rocket from the mercurial Portuguse forward to put City in front. He’d build on that was a sumptuous through-ball to play Mahrez in for their second. At his very best this evening.

    Raheem Sterling – 6 – What does he need to do to score against Man Utd? Had plenty of opportunities to break his duck against the Red Devils but City’s ‘number seven’ could not convert.

    Substitutes:

    Gabriel Jesus (for De Bruyne 80) – N/A – A late sub.

    Phil Foden (for Mahrez 87) – N/A – A late sub.

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