Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that his side struggled to break down Manchester United’s defensive structure during their goalless Premier League derby draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Despite dominating possession, City failed to convert their chances, with most of the opportunities falling to Omar Marmoush. However, United goalkeeper André Onana remained solid to deny the visitors.
In his post-match remarks, Guardiola highlighted the challenge posed by United’s tactical formation.
He said: “We know that playing against a 5-4-1 is always difficult. They defended very narrowly and allowed us only to operate on the flanks, outside the congestion.
“For many years, I’ve come up against teams using the 5-4-1, defending deep. So it’s nothing new. Normally, we manage to find a way through because of the quality and talent of our players.
“But sometimes there’s an extra element missing — perhaps sharpness or composure — and that’s something we cannot always predict. They didn’t play brilliantly, but we weren’t in a position to punish them either.
“They tried, we tried — but we weren’t good enough in key moments to really hurt them or take advantage of the spaces that opened up.”
The result leaves both teams sharing the spoils in a fiercely contested derby, with City missing the opportunity to close the gap in the Premier League title race.