Iheanacho wins Manchester derby for Guardiola

NIGERIAN international, Kelechi Iheanacho was the match winner at Old Trafford on Saturday, as his 36th minute’s goal gave Manchester City a 2-1 win over hosts, Manchester United in the English Premier League.

Iheanacho, who last weekend also scored Nigeria’s lone goal against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) dead rubber qualifier in Uyo, had assisted team-mate, Kevin de Bruyne to net the opener in the 15th minute.

The starlet doubled the lead for the visitors 21 minutes later when he did a simple tap-in after De Bruyne’s effort had hit the post.

Iheanacho with the goal had scored nine goals from 13 shots on target in the English Premier League.

The Manchester derby was the 17th time both Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho had clashed, with the former winning eight times, while the latter had only three wins to show as six of their meetings ended in stalemate.

The Citizens dominated the better part of the first half to maintain their unbeaten run this season with four straight wins, while United suffered their first loss of the season.

Swede striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic maintains his scoring form when he got United’s only goal in the 42nd minute, after debutant goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo, who joined City from FC Barcelona, had misjudged a  free-kick, as the Swede who moved to Old Trafford from Paris Saint Germain this season was clinical enough to volley in the rebound.

What would have saved the defeat of United was Marcus Rashford’s goal in the 78th minute which was overruled after Ibrahimovic was caught in an offside position.

Iheanacho after the match was proud to form a superb combination with Belgian De Bruyne.

“I am happy that I scored the goal that gave us victory, I am happy that I also assisted De Bruyne to score and I thank him too for assisting me to score. It is a great moment for me and our fans,” said the 2013 FIFA U-17 Most Valuable Player, Iheanacho who presented De Bruyne with the Man of The Match award.

Meanwhile, former Chelsea manager, Mourinho said his men did not impress in the first half, just as he also blamed the loss on referee Mark Clattenburg who he said “made two big mistakes”.

“The two halves were completely different. In the first half we were below the level to play this match. You have to be completely ready in terms of the speed of your thinking and decision-making.

“The second half was completely different. We were a team that had the courage and honesty and dignity to chase with pride the result which I think we deserved – we deserved a goal in the second half,” the Special One told bbc.com.