MANUTD VS CITY: Man United dump Man City out of EFL Cup

Ander Herrera was the driving force in Man United's midfield as they edged rivals Man City. Manchester United's squad raised eyebrows before kick-off because of the continued omission of Henrikh Mkhitaryan but there was the encouraging sight of Michael Carrick returning in a deeper midfield role alongside Ander Herrera, with Paul Pogba pushed further forward. There was less optimism surrounding the heart of defence, with the central defence pairing of Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind. United's squad was stronger than the one Manchester City picked but that was not apparent in the first half when City took the initiative. The home team looked more organised at the back than they were against Chelsea on Sunday, though, restricting the chances for Pep Guardiola's team. Jose Mourinho's men upped the tempo at the start of the second period and asserted themselves, eventually being rewarded when Juan Mata struck in. After that, it was a chance for them to show the sort of solidity that characterised their display at Anfield and they limited City to precious little, although much of that was down to the disappointing nature of the visitors' display. Positives After the horror show at Stamford Bridge, the result was the most important outcome here... and United got it. The consequences of losing would have been deeply unpleasant for Mourinho, who had already tasted defeat once here against City this season, losing 2-1 in the league. A clean sheet was another major source of encouragement considering how brittle United looked and the fact that they had put out a makeshift central defence. Negatives After a derby win, it is hard to be too critical but this was a disjointed display at times. In the early stages of the first half, it was clear that this United team wasn't yet comfortable playing together with these players on the pitch in these combinations. Had City been more clinical and had Sergio Ageuro or Kevin De Bruyne on the pitch from the start, then they could have been punished for occasional lapses in concentration too. Manager rating out of 10 7 -- Mourinho went into this game under pressure and treated it with the seriousness that it deserved. Put a side on the pitch that had a more solid and productive look about them, although they did not always click into gear. After United snatched the lead, his organisational skills were there to see as his team held out against a toothless City side and he was an encouraging presence on the sideline, cajoling his men.