An incredible comeback at the Etihad.

Following Liverpool's victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, manager Jurgen Klopp decided to rest several key players for the derby against Everton. Salah and Roberto Firmino, important players for the "Reds," were left out of the squad..This further compelled Pep to make a decisive decision in the derby match at the Etihad Stadium a few hours later.

The magic tricks of the masters

Jose Mourinho spoiled Pep Guardiola's team's early coronation at the Etihad Stadium with an incredible comeback. (Image: Internet)

Both are excellent coaches who have managed major clubs, so Pep Guardiola and Mourinho have a long and complex history of encounters. This is the 21st time Pep Guardiola and Mourinho have faced each other in their careers. Pep has won 9 matches (7 draws, 4 losses). Pep is arguably the most difficult opponent for the Portuguese coach, the one who has inflicted the most defeats on Mourinho in his illustrious career.

Before the match, manager Pep Guardiola shared: "Manchester City will go out there to win. But of course, our eyes are also on Tuesday's game against Liverpool. Win, lose, or draw against Manchester United, our main concern is the battle on Tuesday.""

That being said, Man City started the match with a very unusual formation, with Laporte, Kyle Walker, Bruyne, Jesus, and Aguero all sidelined, and they didn't have a single true striker on the pitch. Meanwhile, MU played with their strongest lineup and were very confident despite playing away, as their record at Etihad (2 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses) was better than at Old Trafford (1 win, 1 draw, 4 losses).

With a 4-6-0 formation, Man City controlled possession and launched effective attacks, while MU had no dangerous opportunities due to constant high-pressure pressing. The first half belonged to Man City, who scored two goals: Kompany's powerful header to open the scoring, and Gundogan's skillful turn and finish from inside the penalty area.

MU had an incredibly poor first half, controlling possession for only 34% and failing to register a single shot on target against Man City. The last time the "Red Devils" played this poorly was in October 2015, which was also the Manchester derby.

I don't want to become a clown.

Pogba was the best player in the 176th Manchester derby. Photo: Internet

During halftime, Mourinho warned that he and his players would be made fools watching Man City lift the trophy immediately after this match. This impacted the MU players, as time was running out; they only had 45 minutes to save themselves, and Paul Pogba is a player for big matches.

Pogba is not having a good season, plagued by injuries and being sidelined due to conflicts with Jose Mourinho. Since the start of the Premier League season, the French player has only scored 3 goals and provided 9 assists in 19 appearances.

Ever since Alexis Sanchez joined Man United, the challenge of combining the Chilean striker with star player Paul Pogba has been a constant source of mental strain for Mourinho.

The Portuguese strategist had experimented with many tactics, but it wasn't until the second half of the Manchester derby that their effectiveness became apparent. Freed from defensive duties, the French midfielder was free to operate in the central area, while Sanchez was able to drift to the flanks. Pogba was in top form at the right moment, scoring two invaluable goals, while Sterling of the home team was incredibly wasteful in his one-on-one situations with goalkeeper David De Gea.

From a free-kick situation on the left wing, center-back Smalling joined the attack and comfortably tapped the ball into the net from close range, helping the Red Devils complete a magnificent comeback at the Etihad Stadium. The defender had already redeemed himself for his mistake of letting Kompany head the ball in. In the remaining minutes, manager Pep Guardiola went all-in, bringing on De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, and Aguero. But they only served to warm up for the match against Liverpool next weekend and couldn't save a humiliating defeat.

Records

For the first time in 10 years, Man City lost after leading by two goals at home. Previously, City had lost to Liverpool by the same scoreline after taking a two-goal lead. And for the first time in his career, Pep Guardiola suffered two consecutive defeats, conceding three goals in each match. Just days before, Man City had lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Paul Pogba became the first Manchester United player to score a brace in a Manchester derby since Wayne Rooney in December 2012.

Following the 176th Manchester derby, Jose Mourinho was quick to congratulate Pep Guardiola on the upcoming championship, stating that Man City is an excellent club that doesn't give any team a chance to catch up. Meanwhile, Man City fans have reason to worry about the humiliating defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League, a result of the loss to Manchester United.