The selection said it all. Ordering room service to a suite at the five-star Lowry Hotel may constitute a bit of a disaster for José Mourinho but losing to Manchester City for the second time in seven weeks at Old Trafford, and a weakened City at that, would have left the United manager fearing the walls were closing in. It was not a risk he was prepared to accept.
Both managers were in urgent need of victory – Pep Guardiola to avoid the longest winless run of his illustrious managerial career and Mourinho to respond to growing doubts over his ability to alleviate United’s malaise. The consequences of defeat, however, were significant for only one and were avoided thanks to a determined, improved second-half display from the hosts.
Mourinho had taken the rare step of using his programme notes to apologise for United’s humbling at Chelsea, the heaviest defeat of his career in English league football. Making four changes for an EFL Cup fourth-round tie, while Guardiola opted for nine and included two 19-year-olds in Pablo Maffeo and Aleix García, demonstrated he had no intention of issuing another. “As the leader of this squad I want to start by saying sorry to all the Manchester United fans around the world,” the United manager wrote. “Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Chelsea was not a United result; it was a result that has made us all extremely sorry for all our supporters and we all apologise for it.”
The apology was the second uncharacteristic statement from him before kick-off. He also bemoaned hotel life in an interview with Sky, although, to be fair to Mourinho complaints about his Manchester residency were not without foundation given they centred on paparazzi intrusion and being apart from a close-knit family who have stayed in London. It was just a surprise to hear them being aired in public by a man who has thrived on confrontation and engineered adversity throughout a hugely successful career. It must also be of concern to his employers that there appears no impending solution to the distraction of a family separation. “Buy a house? I do not know, I do not know,” he said.
There will be as much sympathy for Mourinho as there have been exhilarating performances from United since he took charge. As in the defeat to City in the Premier League on 10 September, United were made to appear laboured in the first half by the vibrancy of Guardiola’s team, for whom García enjoyed a confident start in central midfield. There was a clear purpose to the gameplan of only those in sky blue but, not for the first time in their disappointing recent run, the end product was lacking. Leroy Sané, Nolito and even Jesús Navas formed a mobile unit in support of Kelechi Iheanacho while Zlatan Ibrahimovic reflected United’s entire evening. Isolated and error-prone before the break, spirited and powerful afterwards.
Now that Wayne Rooney has been removed from United’s starting line-up, and mobility has not returned, attention has switched to the contribution of the Sweden international and what his punishing lack of pace means for their attack. The 35-year-old was one of seven players retained from the starting line-up at Stamford Bridge and his display was a test of Mourinho’s patience as well as faith.
It was no exaggeration to state Ibrahimovic posed a greater danger to his own team than the City defence in the first half at Old Trafford. Mourinho takes responsibility for the selection but he could not legislate for Ibrahimovic striking routine passes out of play and twice gifting possession to the visitors in compromising areas. Iheanacho almost went clean through on David de Gea’s goal after the striker played a careless pass across the United midfield moments before the interval.
Ibrahimovic appeared at a loss over where he should be. He was admonished by his manager for chasing a lost cause early in the game and told to conserve energy in the centre. When Marcos Rojo then launched a clearance down United’s right flank, Mourinho questioned the striker for not coming across to challenge Nicolás Otamendi to the header.
There were signs of a recovery from the Swede early in the second half when he released Marcus Rashford for a rare shot on Willy Caballero’s goal. The answer to what he gives United soon followed as his physical strength and awareness helped settle an otherwise forgettable cup derby. Having barged Otamendi aside as they challenged for a header, legitimately, Ibrahimovic turned into space, considered his options and rolled the inviting pass for Ander Herrera that was ultimately converted by Juan Mata.
“You always want to be the boss of the city,” Ibrahimovic had said. “It’s nice when the heat is there because it makes you feel alive, and I need to feel alive.”
It was not pretty but, for Mourinho and his centre-forward, it did not matter. They will find redemption in the result.