Manchester City’s third goalkeeper, Zack Steffen, had an interesting introduction to his club’s big game occasions.
On Sunday at Chelsea, he started by terrorizing his four defenders by receiving a pass back in the first minute. At Old Trafford last night, his own player John Stones put the ball past him for the goal in the second. The goal was canceled due to offside.
But in both games – after the first concerns – the American found himself with almost nothing to do. City won both games comfortably. Against Chelsea, it was not a special surprise. Here, against a Manchester United team that was improving.
This was a big test for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and they failed very convincingly
Solskjaer’s Red Devils lost 2-0 to rival Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semifinals
Pep Guardiola’s City team reached its fourth consecutive Carabao Cup final on Wednesday
This was a big test for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and they failed quite convincingly. United were not particularly bad. They were in play until Fernandinho’s decisive goal, five minutes from the end. But they were also not particularly good at all and that is the point.
We expected more, for sure. United have played well in the Premier League on both sides of Christmas, scoring good goals, scoring difficult games and thus building the kind of momentum you need before a match against Pep Guardiola’s team.
So we thought they might worry the city, but instead, they just hit a brick wall. It was not a chase, far from it. United were organized and very determined and responded to John Stones’ goal early in the second half with some sporadic periods of possession.
But what did they really do? Who scored United’s game? Bruno Fernandes made a very good save from American Steffen with a 20-yard kick in the first period, but after that there wasn’t much to cause real concern to the 25-year-old.
United improved with Solskjaer. If they score a point at Burnley next Tuesday, they will move from Liverpool to the top of the table.
However, this game pointed to persistent issues, problems that have yet to be resolved. That is, how to establish more control of the ball against very good teams and how to manage a game with more certainty.
United star midfielder Bruno Fernandes looks downcast with Old Trafford while he was kept silent
This United team can be exciting to watch. They have some box office players. Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and, when he is fit and mentally in tune, young Mason Greenwood. They are able to reverse the games and rescue them later. But to force other teams to play at your own pace and at your own pace? Not much.
United remains skittish. They lack reliability. They are thriving this season based on their own advances, but also on the inconsistency of others.
Put this United team in any of the last three or four seasons of the Premier League and they would have competed for fourth place and little else.
The truth is, they probably need a few more players of real quality. United need a world-class holding player and a midfield. They could probably also be improved in both side positions. Solskjaer was lucky with injuries this season, at a time when other clubs – like Wednesday’s opponent – did not.
Defender John Stones opened the scoring in the second half on Wednesday night
All of this seems extremely demanding and, at a time when United is occupying a high position in the league, it certainly is.
United’s form has been good, the resilience of their young coach under control has been impressive. But United will have to reach another level if they are to really fight for this year’s Premier League and this was an evening that illustrated that.
They were sharp at times in the first period. United’s transition from defense to attack can be seriously difficult to control and there have been some glimpses of this against a City team that is just beginning to recover.
With the much better combination of Scott McTominay and Fred sitting in front of the rear four, Paul Pogba was asked to take the left position of the top three. If the Frenchman wants to succeed at United – this is highly unlikely – he will have to be in this position.
The city was never overloaded, but it always had to be ready. At the time, the most serious threat to the goal appeared to come from a line judge on the nearby side, who seemed determined to leave his offside calls until the ball was practically inside the net.
City midfielder Fernandinho scored the second with a beautiful shot after a corner in the 83rd minute
United needed a winner here, a prominent player. The city had them. Fernandinho – who will hardly substitute if he goes out in the summer – was one, while defender Ruben Dias was another. Further ahead, Kevin De Bruyne used the ball better than anyone else on the pitch.
The home team did not have these individual performances that motivated them. Fernandes is dangerous, while Rashford is in good shape. But is this enough in really big games? Doesn’t there have to be a collective presence? Any authority?
Under Solskjaer, United became increasingly dangerous without yet reaching the levels of intimidation and taciturn desire that characterized their great teams in the modern era.
This was Solskjaer’s fourth loss in the semifinals and it will hurt him. In the championship, he will know that names like City and Liverpool will improve with the campaign. United will have to do the same if they want to make up for their recent return to relevance.