Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
A deep dive into Manchester United’s derby performance exposed a glaring issue in the final third and Marcus Rashford was at the heart of it.
Naturally, the VAR controversy is what has hogged headlines around Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby at Old Trafford.
But United do have to accept that they weren’t good enough after Phil Foden’s red card reduced the visitors to 10 men.
If anything, United struggled against 10 men more than they did against a full-strength City, and that is a major concern for Michael Carrick.
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Man United have a crossing problem
When City went down to 10 men, they naturally dropped deeper, tightened up their defence and looked to hold out at Old Trafford.
As a result, United were only finding space out wide through the likes of Marcus Rashford and Bryan Mbeumo.
But United’s chance creation from out wide, particularly crosses, was well below par. Rashford completed zero of his seven attempted crosses, and he wasn’t the only Red Devils player who had a shockingly bad crossing record.
Cross-completion rates:
Rashford – 0/7 (0%)
Cunha – 0/3 (0%)
Dalot – 0/2 (0%)
Tielemans – 0/1 (0%)
Dorgu – 1/4 (25%)
Fernandes 2/6 (33%)
Mbeumo 2/3 (67%)
Zirkzee 1/1 (100%)
In total, United attempted 27 crosses against City and completed just six… a completion rate of 22%.
Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Youri Tielemans joined Rashford with a completion rate of 0% at Old Trafford.
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Benjamin Sesko needs better service
In the first half, United were creating chances out wide but lacked a central attacking figure as centre-forward Cunha was dropping deep to get involved in play.
Carrick brought on Sesko in the second half to add his 6ft 5in frame to United’s attacking line, but still, United struggled to find him in the box.
Time and time again, United’s crosses either failed to beat the first man or went looping over the box and had to be collected at the other side of the pitch.
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When Sesko was signed, it was anticipated that crossing would become one of United’s strengths, especially as Mbeumo’s crossing stats were promising when he was signed.
But United are struggling to make it work, and it is up to Carrick to transform crossing from a weakness to a strength.