Manchester United vanquished a two-goal deficit in the second half to beat Manchester City 3-2 on Saturday, denying Pep Guardiola's men the chance to wrap up the title against their hated rival.
Goals from Vincent Kompany and Ilkay Gundogan were a scant return considering how dominant City was in the opening period, and the host was punished when a Paul Pogba brace and Chris Smalling volley earned United the victory.
Manchester City fans will feel aggrieved to have not been awarded a penalty when Ashley Young appeared to chop down Sergio Aguero in the area on 77 minutes. Young, who was involved in several contentious moments, played the 90 minutes without being shown a card by referee Martin Atkinson.
But Smalling, who was previously being slammed for his questionable defending in the heart of Jose Mourinho's backline, was the match-winner when he jabbed past Ederson after 69 minutes.
Full-time: #MCFC 2️⃣-3️⃣ #MUFC
— FourFourTwo ⚽️ (@FourFourTwo) April 7, 2018
Not this week, City.
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City should've been out of sight at the break. Raheem Sterling blazed two inviting efforts over the bar and Gundogan should've doubled his personal tally but nodded straight into the grasp of David De Gea. Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, and Kyle Walker were all warming the bench for City, and the home side was simultaneously rampant and wasteful without them.
Mourinho's team talk must have been inspired. United was a different team after the interval, and levelled the tie when Pogba scored twice in the space of 97 seconds. City's defence had fully disintegrated by the time Smalling scored, and a sublime De Gea save denied Aguero an equaliser in the closing stages.
United overcoming a 13-point gulf with six games left is near impossible, but City may have to wait until a visit from Swansea City on April 22 to clinch the title. Guardiola's team can secure the first spot next weekend if it beats Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and United loses at home to cellar-dweller West Bromwich Albion the following day.
A Manchester City fan in tears in the stands - how the hearts of other fans must bleed for him with that slender 13-point lead at the top with six games left.
— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) April 7, 2018
Surrendering such a strong advantage against United completes a tough week for Manchester City after its quarter-final first-leg loss to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday. The runaway leader will attempt to defy the odds on Tuesday when the Merseysiders bring their 3-0 aggregate lead to the Etihad Stadium.
