Managers’ reactions after Manchester United and Manchester City drew 0-0 in their city derby at Old Trafford on Sunday (25 October). The point put City back on top of the Premier League on goal difference.
Louis van Gaal, Manchester United manager:
Question: Do you feel you were the only team trying to win today?
“They have the right to play compact, and they have done it. They have a fantastic team also on the counter-attack, but we have prevented that in a very professional way. So I cannot complain – only I’m disappointed… and we don’t have the luck neither because I’ve seen on the video situation with (Ander) Herrera – it was a penalty (second-half challenge by Raheem Sterling), it was a penalty, but the referee was not giving us that benefit and, of course – I can see it on the video and you can see it clearly that he (Sterling) doesn’t touch the ball, only the legs of Herrera. But that’s the luck we don’t have in this season.”
Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager:
“I think that we played better maybe the first half. In The second half we lose so many balls that it was impossible for us to try and to create chances. But as a team if we need to defend, we can defend as a tactical game or mind games… I don’t know exactly the name that you put always put in the media for teams that come for the draw… It’s easy to defend with ten players behind the ball near your box. For me it’s not the way to do it (i.e. play) but if you cannot find the space and you are not clear with the ball, you must do it well, and I think that we did it well.”