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Youri Tielemans believes Manchester United failed to generate sufficient opportunities to claim victory in the Manchester derby against City, a match ultimately settled by Erling Haaland's disputed second-half strike.
United received a significant boost from referee Michael Oliver when he dismissed Phil Foden for retaliating against Bruno Fernandes, leaving the visitors a man short for three quarters of the match. Despite this advantage, the hosts could not make it count and were instead punished by the ever-reliable Haaland. Manchester City's No. 9 netted his ninth goal in this fixture, leaving him just two goals short of equaling Wayne Rooney's record of 11 in Manchester derbies.
"I don't think we created enough chances to win the game anyway," Tielemans told NBC Sports. "I thought we were a bit sloppy on the ball and maybe didn't make the right decisions on the final ball."
Haaland's goal should arguably never have counted, with refereeing authority Pro Ref conceding an "error of judgment" over Enzo Fernández's involvement in the build-up to the goal.
United Fail to Seize Initiative
Tielemans was considered a shrewd acquisition from Aston Villa during the summer window, particularly given the inflated midfield transfer market. Man Utd activated the Belgian's £35 million ($46.8 million) release clause, and he has quickly established himself as a key figure in Michael Carrick's midfield, featuring from the start in all five of United's matches this season.
The seasoned Premier League midfielder's suggestion that it would have been a "different game" had Haaland's goal been correctly disallowed holds merit in principle, yet City appeared galvanized by the perceived injustice, keeping their cross-city opponents at bay even after Foden's red card.
The hosts managed just one big chance, per FotMob, and recorded a paltry 0.07 xGOT (expected goals on target) from the seventh minute onward.
Once again, United struggled when required to take control of proceedings.
Familiar Issue Arises for Red Devils
Enzo Maresca reflected after his side's hard-fought derby win that Foden's red card in the 23rd minute altered the course of the game not only for City, but for the home side as well.
When Man Utd defeated City 2–0 on Carrick's homecoming at Old Trafford in January, they did so with just 32% possession. However, their numerical advantage fundamentally shifted the match's dynamics, as City sat deeper and became increasingly dangerous on the counter.
Since the beginning of last season, United have won all 10 games in which they've held 45% or less possession. By contrast, they've won just seven of 20 matches when controlling at least 55% of the ball.
This is a problem that long predates Carrick's tenure, with the Red Devils having struggled for years against defensively compact sides. They have traditionally thrived as underdogs, surrendering possession and looking to exploit space on the break.