EFL Cup 2016/17: Manchester United 1-0 Manchester City: 5 talking points

Mata scored the only goal in the game

Manchester United moved into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup 2016/17 as Juan Mata’s 54th-minute strike was enough to seal victory in the Manchester Derby. After neither side found the target in the first half, United took the intensity up by a notch in the second half and deservedly went in front after Mata picked up the loose pieces following a suspected foul on fellow Spaniard Ander Herrera.

The result condemns Pep Guardiola to a sixth straight game without victory – his worst ever run as a manager.

We analyse some of the talking points from the pre-quarterfinal tie at Old Trafford:

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#1 Even first half on slippery Old Trafford surface

The Old Trafford surface was slippery and quick

It was Pep Guardiola’s men who dominated proceedings early in the game, coming close through Kelechi Iheanacho, who couldn’t direct his header on target. As the half wore on, it was the home side which took the initiative and pressed hard against a compact City defence.

Marcus Rashford came close, but his shot was blocked. Deputy goalkeeper Willy Caballero did well to punch a dangerous Paul Pogba cross away. Both teams failed to muster a shot on target.

The players struggled to cope with a slippery Old Trafford surface, on a night where the temperatures dipped. The slippery surface resulted in a number of fouls, which reached double figures, and neither outfit was really able to gather any momentum during the opening half.