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Writer's pictureMichael Oakley

And now for something completely different ...



Today is Manchester Derby day when the football giants of that city square up and battle it out for three English Premier League points and bragging rights in the Rainy City.

I've never been to Manchester and to be honest with a nickname like Rainy City, I don't think it's for me ...

As a neutral I'm hoping for a good game filled with action and goals at the Etihad Stadium, as a supporter of a different club in the EPL I'm trying to work out a way for both teams to lose.

The Sky Blues are trying to keep pace with Liverpool at the top while the Red Devils are trying to get closer to the top four.

Hopefully there won't be any issues about the result, unlike the Reds' controversial winner over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, really don't want to be talking about the referee when the 90+ minutes are over.

Here is my experience watching one of the biggest football games in the world.

5.20pm - I see the teams, no real surprises, time to light the braai and get a cold beer out the fridge.

5.25 - Clouds look a bit dark and stormy, braai might not have been the right plan, Joburg can turn into the Rainy City quick, fast and in a hurry.

5.30 - Kick-off, City have the ball first which doesn't matter as much as it does in American Football (check the Superbowl drama).

5.31 - Phil Foden shoots and it deflects over, fast start from the champions.

5.33 - Bruno Fernandes claims to be hurt (surprise, surprise) while City appeal for a penalty, no chance.

5.35 - United try to break, finally getting out of their own half, seems like the plan for the day.

5.38 - What a goal! Marcus Rashford smashes the ball into the back of the net from outside the area after a long ball finds Fernades who set him up. VAR checked it and the United skipper was onside. Now we have a game.

5.44 - Andre Onana saves from Foden, City dominant but behind where it matters.

5.47 - Rashford is through but can't control, had the pace to get clear but the ball gets away from him.

5.48 - Foden is through on goal but denied by Onana, the keep did well there, United's 'old men' in defence can't play a high line against City.

5.53 - Another quick break by United but Rashford has a freshy, football can be cruel ...

5.54 - Need another beer hopefully City waste another corner, yip not reason to rush and risk spillage.

5.57 - First foul of the match, derbies have changed.

6.02 - Erling Haaland has a chance, first time I've seen him, heads it miles over the bar.

6.03 - Rodri tests the United keeper again and once again he passes with flying colours. He's been busy in the first half hour and it's not going to get any quieter in and around his box.

6.07 - United are already time-wasting LOL!

6.11 - United staying disciplined, letting City have the ball while staying in their defensive shape, impressive.

6.13 - Head injury halts play, ball is given to the team that had possession, should have happened on Saturday in the Liverpool game.

6.14 - Haaland misses an open goal from a meter or two out. Shocking miss, everyone is stunned, in the stadium and watching around the world.

6.17 - City's 12th corner of the half comes to nothing again.



6.18 - Half-time. City have dominated but can't find the right key to unlock the United defence, might need to play a little quicker, passing is a bit sedate so the Red Devils have time to adjust. But 18 shots at goal shows their dominance. Time for another beer, so enthralled by the match I forgot to drink. Weird! Pep Guardiola's going to have to use some big boy words during the break.

6.32 - Panini toasted, lettuce, hot sauce, jalapenos and cheese ready, chicken marinating nicely. This is going to be a good Sunday night meal.

6.34 - Second half begins with Pep looking stressed, not something you see that often.

6.38 - VAR feeling left out so wants to get mentioned for no reason, no penalty.

6.43 - United have some ball and confidence, this is dangerous because they are losing their defensive shape that served them so well in the first half. City are happy for them to have the ball because they aren't much of a threat.

6.45 - Foden answers Rashford's stunner with one of his own and the champions are level through a top corner special from outside the box.

6.46 - Rashford et al, complaining about a foul before the goal and Erik ten Hag gets a yellow, the United winger went down easier than (insert your own joke here, I can't think of a clean one).

6.48 - Need more beer but can't look away.

6.52 - Onana has a hamstring issue, getting booed - maybe rightly so as United need a break from the City pressure. Will he be Okay? Of course he will, so the boos will continue and all he's really done is add injury-time to the end of the game.

6.57 - Foul on the edge of the box by Raphaël Varane on Haaland, this is dangerous ... The wall does its job. I actually care, how did that happen?

7.02 - It's an attack v defence training session again, City on the front foot and United hanging on. So far, so good.

7.07 - Need another frosty beverage.

7.09 - Foden does it again, ghosts into the box and beats Onana (who'll be disappointed), great movement, touch and finish. City go 2-1 ahead. That's his sixth goal against the Red Devils.

7.13 - Can't see United coming back from this, they can't get the ball and have zero cutting edge going forward, dull as a spoon.



7.17 - Foden wants more noise from the City fans, they have been pretty quiet today. United chasing the game but can't get out of their own half.

7.19 - Eight minutes of injury-time, maybe Onana's acting will help United but they need the ball.

7.20 - Haaland, who's not been at his best, makes it 3-1 with a quality finish. Game over as City's fans do the Poznan.

7.23 - City fans now in full voice as they cheer every pass. United chasing shadows and getting a little dirty with Antony hacking

down City's hero Foden who goes off to huge acclaim.

7.25 - Need to pee, glad the game is pretty much over.

7.27 - Time is up. That's it, quality effort from City against a brave United. Foden was the difference. Good game to watch as a neutral, which is what I wanted. Next up for City is league leaders Liverpool. Massive game. Now time to braai.

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