Thread by @Jon_Mackenzie

Just getting chance to rewatch the Manchester derby and wanted to point something out I've not seen anyone talking about: the out of possession decisions of both managers

Notably, Manchester United went player-for-player on Manchester City's two 8s and the 6 when Manchester City were in the build up phase:

This left three players to press City's back four plus goalkeeper. With City spreading their back line, Manchester United simply couldn't lay a glove on them in the deeper build up phases.

As an aside, City often drop an 8 in as a situational pivot in build up - they barely even bothered in this game because there was no need.

At the other end of the pitch, City played a fairly unusual for them hybrid press: they would go into their regular 442 into a high press when Yanited went long/achieved consolidated possession at the back:

But in goal kick situations (and in some open play situations) they wanted to go player-to-player against Manchester United's back line. Here's a goal kick set up:

Interestingly, it's Haaland on the pivot player which means Grealish has to push across onto the LCB. The two City 8s (arrows) are then sitting centrally ready to jump to the full backs, the idea begin to bait the FB clip and then trap.

Here's an example from open play. As you can see, City start off in their standard 442 pressing pattern. Manchester United have adopted a situational back three with Malacia dropping in:

Foden clocks that Malacia will be able to receive possession comfortably so he jumps to him. This triggers a series of jumps across the City right hand side so that there isn't a free man:

The result is that Manchester United are under a huge amount of pressure in deeper build up phases and they struggle to progress the ball as a result.

So two very different approaches to out of possession from the two teams: Manchester United looked scared to commit forward and allow the City midfield any space centrally. But this let City have easy possession deep which they could then use to manipulate space in the middle.

City, on the other hand, weren't willing to let Manchester United settle in the deeper phase, going player-to-player in spells to really force their opponents to work hard in build up.

Oh and one final aside: it's really easy to create space against man marking systems...