Alan Shearer: Fernandinho was simply perfect for Man City in win over Manchester United and left me thinking ‘wow!’
The 3-1 scoreline was the bare minimum Pep Guardiola's deserved and anything other than that would have been a travesty for the Prem leaders
MANCHESTER CITY absolutely battered United — it was a footballing lesson at the Etihad.
The 3-1 scoreline was the bare minimum they deserved, anything other than that would have been a travesty.
You go through every single position on the pitch and City’s players won the battle. Not just five, six or seven players — all 11 and the subs that came on.
From the full-backs bombing forwards to the centre-backs stepping out with the ball, to the electric front line.
And at the centre of it all was the perfect midfield performance from Fernandinho.
David Silva scored and along with Bernardo Silva played some tremendous stuff from attacking midfield positions.
But for me, Fernandinho bossed the whole pitch.
He controlled the game, won the ball back, broke it up when United did manage to get the ball and was strong in the tackle.
But it’s not only that, it’s his array of passing. You watch his passing into the front men and wow.
He fizzes it in to them, the wingers and the strikers.
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He turns decent positions into great ones with an eye for a pass, it’s a joy to watch and must be a joy to play with.
Fernandinho is the one that’s got to win the ball back and he did it, countless times.
If you watch a game like that, rather than just look at the spectacular, you have to appreciate what he does.
The Brazilian is at the centre of everything, he even had shots at goal and just kept driving City forwards.
Fernandinho is so clever, an incredibly intelligent footballer.
Yes he makes fouls here and there but he knows when to foul and when not to. Every really great team has a player like him and today he proved how good he is.
He totally and utterly dominated that midfield today and that is against a Manchester United team with three combative type players.
Led by Fernandinho, City’s passing was phenomenal.
United were dominated in possession, by crosses, shots on goal and obviously in the final scoreline.
Other than that three-minute spell where the goalkeeper Ederson made a horrible error and gave United a penalty it was barely even a contest.
And did United even manage another shot after that?
They hardly touched the ball in the first few minutes and despite being set up to stop City, were torn open.
Nothing would excite you as a United fan in that game, nothing.
Jose Mourinho’s men looked like any other team going to the Etihad.
It barely felt like a derby, not that it will concern City fans.
But United had been forced to pick Marouane Fellaini thanks to Paul Pogba’s injury and he’s normally just a sub — used in big games when they are losing.
He was no match for the Silvas and Fernandinho.
But he wasn’t alone, as I said, not a United player can say they were better than their opposite number.
It was a step too far for a United team who have had a really good week, but they were no match for this City side.
As for the incident with Red Devils’ sub Juan Mata not being happy with Raheem Sterling for showboating at the end... deal with it.
Sterling has earned it with his and City’s performance.
You’ve just played them off the park so why not enjoy yourself?
Just avoid being booted up in the air for it!