1 Silva spirit
David Silva has earned his ‘El Mago’ nickname by wowing City fans with technical brilliance and remarkable vision.
Merlin was happy to let the sparks fly for this derby clash though, thundering into challenges and picking himself up after a nasty clash of heads with Marcos Rojo.
Ahead of the game Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the diminutive midfielder, saying that although he may be quiet off the field, he steps forward in pressure situations on the pitch.
So it proved, with Silva producing a superlative all round midfield performance.
2 Ed boy
The big Brazilian’s double save from Romelu Lukaku and then Juan Mata in the second-half was a key moment.
The first one he probably could not have got out of the way of, but to pick himself up and smother the second was hugely impressive.
Nothing seems to phase Ederson and at 24 years of age, that bodes well for the Blues’ goalkeeper. His trademark footwork was also on display when he cushioned a powerfully hit back-pass from Kyle Walker before coolly redistributing.
United 1-2 City: Match and player stats
3 Pep philosophy
Guardiola spoke passionately in his pre-match press conference about how success in management is often down to conveying belief in a goal or system. It looks like Pep’s footballing philosophy is becoming entrenched in the players’ hearts and minds.
65 per cent possession and the sheer amount of passes made by City, at Old Trafford, is testament to that.
4 Game management
The way City saw out the match in such a pressurised atmosphere was extremely accomplished. It helps when you have possession masters like Bernardo Silva to bring off the bench, but there was a calmness and clear-mindedness from a number of Blues in the closing stages.
The ball was taken into the corner and held - perfectly legally - draining precious seconds from the clock. Beautiful football yes, but practical and winning football too, when required.
5 Swans switches?
There’s no let up from the festive fixture list with a tough trip to Swansea next up. Will Guardiola opt for changes?
Sergio Aguero will be pushing for a recall, while Vincent Kompany’s injury worry might force a reshuffle in central defence. Meanwhile, in midfield Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo could be in the frame for a starting berth. Who would you go for?
