\u2014 James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) January 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Pep Guardiola was nonethewiser in his post-match presser, however, saying the substitution was tactical.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, it was my decision.\u201d \u2013 Pep Guardiola on whether Phil Foden\u2019s half-time substitution was injury-related<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so.\u201d \u2013 Pep Guardiola, when asked again if Phil Foden had a hand injury<\/p>\n If there is an issue that the City boss was merely unaware of, we should get another update on Foden on Monday. Guardiola will be facing the media ahead of the midweek clash with Bodo\/Glimt.<\/p>\n Even if he\u2019s fit, though, does he start in Gameweek 23? Guardiola cited Rayan Cherki\u2018s (\u00a36.8m) attributes as a reason for Foden\u2019s withdrawal. After Antoine Semenyo\u2018s (\u00a37.6m) arrival, and with Omar Marmoush (\u00a38.3m) now back and Jeremy Doku (\u00a36.4m) available, it may be an either\/or with those two in some games.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t have Rayan Cherki, to have his composure with the ball, to find someone in the final third \u2013 we didn\u2019t have [that] in the first [half].\u201d \u2013 Pep Guardiola on why he took Phil Foden off, to Match of the Day<\/p>\n Matheus Nunes (\u00a35.5m), incidentally, missed out on the derby with an illness.<\/p>\n POSITIVE UNITED Even if the game had stayed at 0-0, or had City grabbed a late winner, we\u2019d have still been writing about a very positive Manchester United display. Guardiola, indeed, said the \u201cbetter team won\u201d.<\/p>\n Carrick sent his side out in a fan-pleasing 4-2-3-1 but it was as much about attitude and aggression as formation. United attacked with pace and energy and defended as if their lives depended on it, from the relentless pressing from the front to Harry Maguire\u2018s (\u00a34.3m) pocketing of Erling Haaland (\u00a315.1m). It was the type of intensity that had been missing from United\u2019s performances in recent years.<\/p>\n The question now: can they back it up? And more to the point, can they attack with the same purpose when they encounter lower blocks from Gameweek 24?<\/p>\n City played into United\u2019s hands with their high line, and by allowing their hosts to break at speed. The Red Devils\u2019 major problem in recent years has often been more about carving open stubborn backlines.<\/p>\n In fact, this season, United have won all five of the games in which they\u2019ve had less than 45% possession. They\u2019ve only won four of the other 18.<\/p>\n A different type of challenge awaits Carrick from Gameweek 24 \u2013 but he couldn\u2019t have done much more here.<\/p>\n BRILLIANT BRUNO<\/p>\n Carrick, as predicted, put Bruno Fernandes (\u00a39.1m) higher up the pitch.<\/p>\n Fernandes was nominally the \u201910\u2019 in a 4-2-3-1, but he was effectively part of a front two in the press and tried to run beyond the last man onto through-balls on a handful of occasions.<\/p>\n Even though his shot count officially said \u2018zero\u2019, this was how close he was to scoring when he ran onto a Lisandro Martinez (\u00a34.8m) pass to find the net:<\/p>\n While United\u2019s season-low possession rate of 32% meant he didn\u2019t see as much of the ball as usual, the proportion of his touches that came in the final third was almost at a season-high:<\/p>\n And, as ever, he created multiple chances. Six, in fact, the joint-highest of Gameweek 22<\/a>. One was converted by\u00a0Bryan Mbeumo (\u00a38.1m) for the game\u2019s opener but there should have been other\/further assists: a point-blank range header from Maguire that hit the bar, huge opportunities for Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu (\u00a34.2m) that were saved, an Amad Diallo (\u00a36.2m) effort that hit the post.<\/p>\n Fernandes even banked DefCon and bonus points for a double-digit haul.<\/p>\n Already the most-bought player of Gameweek 23, despite the tricky fixture, he\u2019ll surely attract even more FPL interest from Gameweek 24.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought again he was fantastic today. The way he played the position, he\u2019s so clever and he takes up spaces. He had a big discipline role, him and Bryan [Mbeumo] too defensively as well to protect the team from anything coming through the middle as much as possible.\u201d \u2013 Michael Carrick on Bruno Fernandes<\/p>\n \u2018OOP\u2019 DORGU + MBEUMO, CARRICK ON CUNHA BENCHING<\/p>\n Carrick sprung a couple of surprises with his teamsheet, using Dorgu and Amad on either flank and Mbeumo up top. It meant that Benjamin Sesko (\u00a37.2m) and Matheus Cunha (\u00a38.1m) dropped to the bench.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a good squad. There will always be players disappointed not to start, but finishing the game can be even more important. They have huge talent and it\u2019s nothing personal.\u201d \u2013 Michael Carrick speaking to Sky Sports about why he benched Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, reported here<\/a><\/p>\n Cunha looked like he\u2019d taken the benching as a kick up the bum when he came on, haring around and setting up Dorgu for United\u2019s second. A second assist was ruled out for offside.<\/p>\n The Brazilian may still have to play second fiddle in Gameweek 23, particularly as there\u2019ll likely be a similar hit-them-on-the-break gameplan at the Emirates. Could Cunha and Sesko perhaps come back into the equation in more possession-heavy games? Time will tell.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll have to get past Dorgu and Mbeumo in their respective positions, of course. Both players were a threat (and on the scoresheet), with all five of their combined efforts coming from 12 yards out or closer.<\/p>\n MAGUIRE A COLOSSUS<\/p>\n The teamsheet spelled bad news for Ayden Heaven (\u00a33.8m) owners, although he was always on borrowed time until Maguire and\/or Matthijs de Ligt (\u00a34.9m) returned. On Saturday, it was Maguire.<\/p>\n It remains to be seen whether this clean sheet \u2013 only United\u2019s third of 2025\/26 \u2013 heralds a more defensively sound era or is just a false dawn. Maguire, with his aerial threat from corners (he hit the bar from one), is one to watch at a cut-price \u00a34.3m.<\/p>\n Martinez bagged DefCon points, meanwhile.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to lie, it was a bit of a calculated gamble as well of how long he could play and if he could get through it because he\u2019s literally trained for two or three days for probably eight or nine weeks, so it just shows you what it means really to him. I thought he was fantastic. Between him and Licha, they were so solid at the back and gave us the foundation to build on.\u201d \u2013 Michael Carrick on Harry Maguire<\/p>\n A LACK OF \u2018OOMPH\u2019<\/p>\n It\u2019s just one non-penalty goal in four Gameweeks for Manchester City, which of course conveniently ignores the 10-goal win over Exeter City last weekend.<\/p>\n City posted their lowest xG of the season (0.45) and it\u2019s difficult to think of a decent chance they had. An Alleyne header that was clawed away and an Antoine Semenyo (\u00a37.6m) shot that went wide were about the best of them.<\/p>\n Midweek exertions against Newcastle United may have been a factor.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a lack of oomph for many, many games. A lot of players, we cannot rotate. Against Newcastle [in the EFL Cup], look in the second half, how good we were. Today we were missing that.\u201d \u2013 Pep Guardiola<\/p>\n Semenyo was the only attacker to stay on for the full 90 minutes, with even Haaland withdrawn. Guardiola had earlier in the week described the Norwegian as \u201cexhausted\u201d<\/a>, and there was a whiff of that at Old Trafford. Perhaps the returning Marmoush can ease the burden in midweek cup games, with Haaland now on a run of four blanks in five Gameweeks.<\/p>\n Gianluigi Donnarumma (\u00a35.7m) was one of the few Cityzens to emerge with much credit, making five saves, along with Abdukodir Khusanov (\u00a35.4m).<\/p>\n Nico O\u2019Reilly (\u00a35.2m) failed to start at left-back for the fourth game in a row, meanwhile. He did come on in the second half to provide some hope for Gameweek 23 but remember that Marc Guehi (\u00a35.3m) is on his way into the club imminently. Nathan Ake (\u00a35.3m) may therefore remain competition for O\u2019Reilly, along with Rayan Ait-Nouri (\u00a35.7m), even if Alleyne\u2019s goose is cooked.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to put too much pressure on Max [Alleyne]. That\u2019s why Nico [O\u2019Reilly] in that position, he knows a little bit better, and that was the reason why.\u201d \u2013 Pep Guardiola on why he took Max Alleyne off at half-time, shifting Nathan Ake from left-back to centre-half<\/p>\n![\"Foden](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-280.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-283.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Foden](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-282.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-292.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"price](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20250820-WA0000-1-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>