Stones puts a crpss out that was aimed for Fellaini, then gets the ball out of trouble again from the following throw-in. United cruising to the end at a sedate pace.
90'
Both teams are flagging out there as Jesus tumbles to the ground and recieves a free-kick. The myriad of changes likely has contributed to the ebb and flow of the game - buth both sides do seem ready for the final whistle. Two minutes of injury time to follow.
87'
City have camped deep in United territory for most of ten minutes now. If only they had been able to do this earlier, they may have been on the scoreboard. Sane and Nasri interchange the ball but Zinchenko is thwarted by Fellaini.
85'
Jesus skies a chance from straight in front as Nasri feeds him. It's the first of a brace of chances - Fernandinho and Walker chance their luck back-to-back but neither make the mark.
82'
Nasri's long ball heading forward is wrapped up by United again and the Blues remain scoreless as the final whistle creeps closer. It's been an underwhelming opening to their pre-season - but positive signs have come from Wlker and Foden too.
80'
67,401 present in Houston tonight - a great turnout for Texas and the International Champions Cup.
78'
Andreas Pereira enters the game and replaces J. Lingard.
Lingard plays across the right to Valencia, who pokes it through for Pogba - but the French international sees his shot blocked and sent out for a United corner.
Substitution Jesse Lingard Andreas Hoelgebaum Pereira
Ederson is forced to take quick action, executing a triple stop on three Phil Jones shots directly in front of goal over two seconds. Frantic keeping stops United getting a third. Meanwhile, Lingard and Valencia depart for Andreas Pereira and Fosu-Mensah.
77'
T. Fosu-Mensah enters the game and replaces A. Valencia.
Substitution Luis Antonio Valencia Mosquera Timothy Fosu-Mensah
76'
Nasri heads down the right flank, looking for an opening again, but City once more cannot find a way around the United defence. Frustrating times for the Blues.
74'
O. Zinchenko enters the game and replaces P. Foden.
Substitution Philip Foden Oleksandr Zinchenko
Change for City, as Foden bows out in place of Zinchenko.
Minute
Description
73'
Romero is forced to make a hurried deflection off Diaz and Foden's follow-up hits the roof of the night, though unfortunately on the wrong side for the youngster. United's second keeper this evening hasn't really settled though - he looks jittery and nervous.
71'
Sane is fed by Stones down the left wing, before playing it back to Nasri - but the latter misreads the ball and cuffs it out instead.
69'
Pogba and Marital are sending up the danger signs for City again - the two, even when not with th ball, carry a dangerous energy that the Blues just can't match. Stones loses the ball to the latter and the former is off again with a sniff.
66'
No real chances for CIty since early doors of the second half - with United reaserting their power over this derby. Phil Jones is required though to tidy up a fine Walker cross as the Blues spark to life - briefly - on their right flank again.
64'
Marital plays a short one around the edge of the box to Pogba who takes two steps to his left and lets fly with a thunderous shot that crashes into the side netting on the left of goal.
62'
M. Carrick enters the game and replaces H. Mkhitaryan.
A. Martial enters the game and replaces M. Rashford.
M. Fellaini enters the game and replaces Ander Herrera.
Substitution Marcus Rashford Anthony Martial
Substitution Ander Herrera Agüera Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui
Substitution Henrikh Mkhitaryan Michael Carrick
Triple change for United now as Rashford, Herrera and Mkhitaryan make way for Marital, Fellaini and club captain Carrick.
61'
Jesus caught offside as he is fed a flat balln through the United defence on the right of the box. City's play is starting to look more eloquent again - but it only took a Lukaku goal to undo all that in the first half too.
59'
Valencia and Otamendi tussle on the right flank, before the latter earns a free-kick deep in his own territory.
57'
United play the ball back to the keeper Romero - and he nearly botches it with his short-term clearance bouncing straight back off the legs of Jesus.
55'
E. Mangala gets yellow.
Yellow card Eliaquim Mangala
Sane gets the ball in two good positions - in front of the six yard box and just outside the penalty area - but can't do anything with either before he is pressured away by United defenders. Meanwhile, Mangala sees yellow after he wrestles Rashford to the ground in a rather scrappy fashion.
53'
A let-off for City as John Stones fumbles the ball back to Lukaku who hits to top left corner with a cannonball of a shot. Lucky break for the Blues - they should have been three down there.
51'
Rashford lets loose with a shot from the right sideline after he spots Ederson coming out again. The City keeper is forced to scramble back and just keeps the high ball out.
50'
Similar scenes to the first ten minutes so far - City with the odd chance, whilst United probing the Blues in their softer parts.
48'
Foden gets the first chance of the second half but it's a slim one and the youngster is boxed in and dislodged of the ball quickly by United.
47'
For the Red Devils, Romero, Darmian, Bailly and Jones are on for De Gea, Blind, Smalling and Lindelof.
46'
S. Nasri enters the game and replaces S. Agüero.
M. Darmian enters the game and replaces D. Blind.
E. Mangala enters the game and replaces Y. Touré.
P. Jones enters the game and replaces C. Smalling.
N. Otamendi enters the game and replaces T. Adarabioyo.
E. Bailly enters the game and replaces V. Lindelöf.
Gabriel Jesus enters the game and replaces K. De Bruyne.
S. Romero enters the game and replaces David de Gea.
J. Stones enters the game and replaces V. Kompany.
L. Sané enters the game and replaces R. Sterling.
Brahim Díaz enters the game and replaces P. Roberts.
Substitution David de Gea Quintana Sergio Germán Romero
Substitution Chris Smalling Phil Jones
Substitution Victor Nilsson Lindelöf Eric Bertrand Bailly
Substitution Daley Blind Matteo Darmian
Substitution Patrick Roberts Brahim Abdelkader Diaz
Substitution Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo Samir Nasri
United get us back underway in Houston, with Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus, Samir Nasri, Brahim Diaz, Eliaquim Mangala, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi all on for Pep Guardiola.
Substitution Raheem Shaquille Sterling Leroy Sané
45'
D. Blind gets yellow.
Booking for Blind now as he tangles with Roberts, the City man clattering to the floor.
44'
Pogba feeds Lingard after defusing a City corner and races up to recieve it back from the youngster. His shot takes a deflection backwards though and the chance goes begging.
43'
Mkhitaryan goes down, clutching his knee after a rash challenge from Yaya Toure. The City man is shown yellow for his actions, the first booking of the game.
42'
Y. Touré gets yellow.
Yellow card Gnégnéri Yaya Touré
41'
Down the other end, Phil Foden lets loose with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box - and Dea Gea is forced to leap to push it over. De Bruyne's corner is weak though and the United keeper claims it unchallenged.
39'
M. Rashford has scored a goal for Manchester United! Assist by H. Mkhitaryan.
Goal Marcus Rashford
Assist Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Two goals in three minutes for Mourinho's men as Marcus Rashford swaps to the right wing in lieu of Lingard and reaps immediate rewards, coming onto Mkhitaryan's through ball and tucking a right-footer into the left corner, beyond the reach of Ederson. Sterling stuff from United.
37'
R. Lukaku has scored a goal for Manchester United! Assist by P. Pogba.
Goal Romelu Lukaku Menama
Assist Paul Pogba
GOAL for United as Lukaku collects Pogba's long, floating pass and beats Ederson - who is way out of his net - before calmily cutting it back in with a tight strike from the left. First blood to the Red Devils.
36'
Fernandinho intercepts a flat pass for Valencia on the right wing - and City's counter goes through Aguero, Roberts and De Bruyne before a cross to the former find its way straight to De Gea.
34'
Pogba sens a searching long-ball for Rashford down the left again but Walker sweeps in to deal with it. The most expensive defender in the world is proving his worth so far.
32'
Mkhitaryan hurtles through the middle after a Pogba free kick with options either side. He plumps left, for Lingard - but Kompany once again proves his worth to intercept and avert the danger.
30'
Double chance for City! Roberts is fed a beuty into the the box, but Smalling puts his body on the line to deflect. The United man does the same again seconds later as Sterling comes in for the follow-up. For a moment, United's back four cut right open/
28'
Pogba almost gets his head to a free-kick in the box, but can't quite make it there - and Ederson swoops in to see off any danger to the City scoreline.
26'
Fingertips from De Gea as Sterling's shot takes a deflection on its way to the top of the net. United counter from the corner - and only Walker's pace is able to prevent Rashford from going the length of the left wing.
24'
Kompany blocks another shot, this time from Lingard after the Englishman was fed from the left by Pogba. Herrera goes for goal from forty yards out again, centre-of-field - and though not as threatening as his earlier strike, Ederson again has to react quick.
23'
Mkhitaryan breaks through the middle but can't find Lukaku as Kompany quickly puts his body in the way to deflect the pass. It feels like the City captain has been at the club for eons - but there's no doubt that he still has a lot to give.
21'
Mkhitaryan gets it on the right flank and lets loose with a volley twenty yards out that requires some quick stopping from Ederson.
20'
Both sides roll it around in midfield, content to play it out, until De Broyne concedes a free-kick to give United the sniff of something.
18'
Mkhitaryan, on the left, turns it pack in for Rashford to have a shot from the edge of the box - but the youngster pulls it wide of the mark and Ederson is happy to let it trickle out.
16'
Herrera concedes a free-kick deep in United territory after he bundles De Bruyne out near the right corner post. City are unable to crack the defence though - and Rashford takes the ball on halfway for a counter that fizzles out to nothing.
15'
Pogba floats a long one deep in the hope of finding Lukaku or Lingard but the latter is called for offside as he approaches the penalty area.
14'
Rashford is sent hurtling down the left wing, onside by a fraction, but Walker deflects his attempted cross for a corner.
12'
Foden blasts a rocket along the ground from thirty yards out off the back of the resulting corner but it skews well wide to the right and doesn't trouble United. Still, promising signs from the youngster as City grow in this game.
11'
Aguero's chance comes back to De Briyne, but he can't get it away to Roberts. The trio combine again a moment later to create a better chance - De Gea is forced to push the right-back's shot to the side.
9'
United go up the other end now, with Lingard attempting to curl a cross over to Lukaku. It arrives just a touch too far in front of the Belgian though and he is unable to convert it into a chance.
8'
Walker slips a ball through to Aguero, who clips it left to Sterling - the midfielder turns back on himself on the left edge of the box and curls a low shot for the right corner that requires De Gea to dive to stop it.
6'
Mkhitaryan chances his luck from forty yards out but the ball skies over tne goal with little to trouble Ederson about it. Still, United probing their rivals quickly in this game
4'
Rashford's corner comes to little, with Kompany leading a scrambling defence to get the ball away and out of danger. City looking somewhat rusty so far - this of course is their first pre-season game, compared to United's third.
3'
Rashford's tip across the box to Lingard doesn't come quite off, but it falls back to Herrera thirty yards out, who strikes it towards the top right corner. Ederson gets his first action as a City player, tipping it over the crossbar and out for a corner.
2'
City's first attack - down the right flank with a glancing touch by Walker - fizzles out and United counter with a move of their own down the opposite wing. Kompany then concedes a free-kick after a little nudge on Lukaku.
1'
And we're underway in the Lone Star State, as Manchester City get us underway!
United meanwhile have kept their signings to a minimum – but neither are believed to be cheap. Victor Lindelöf is a strong addition to Mourinho’s defence, bringing with him three Primeira Liga winners medals from his time at Benfica – but it is the signing of Everton’s Romelu Lukaku that has made waves across Manchester, the Belgian arriving as former captain Wayne Rooney departs the other way to his boyhood club. Lukaku slots straight into the #9 shirt held last year by the departed Zlatan Ibrahimović – and has already opened his tally for the club, scoring against Salt Lake City in a 2-1 win earlier in the week. Will he prove the key to unlocking City tonight?
City have already splashed out in excess of £100million this transfer window, with the arrival of Kyle Walker, Ederson and Bernado Silva. They’re close to securing a second Monaco player after the latter too, with a higher bid for Benjamin Mendy expected to be tabled next week. Couple this with the arrival of Real Madrid right-back Danilo, with whom City have agreed provisional terms, and Guardiola looks set to have concluded another summer of eye-watering business ahead of the new campaign. Only Walker and Ederson have travelled with the squad to America though – will either make their Blues debut tonight in Houston?
United and City met on three occasions throughout the 2016/17 season, with the spoils tied at one apiece and a draw. Pep Guardiola’s side ran out 2-1 winners in their opponent’s backyard last October, before Jose Mourinho’s men returned the favour at Old Trafford with a 1-0 victory in the EFL Cup Fourth Round. A goalless draw played out in April at the Etihad Stadium – the most notable incident being Marouane Fellaini’s red card for headbutting Sergio Aguero. This game – friendly or not – is the first time the two sides have ever met outside of the UK.
Before we bring you the team news ahead of what is shaping up to be another mouth-watering local tussle between the two – if not strictly local to either – both teams have confirmed that they will wear the symbolic worker bee as a mark of respect for those affected by the Manchester Arena bombing just under two months ago, as part of their #ACityUnited campaign. The shirts worn during the game by players will be, in a gesture of solidarity, auctioned off in the near future with proceeds going to the We Love Manchester emergency fund.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen – or perhaps afternoon or evening dependent on location – and welcome to live coverage of the second game of the 2017 International Champions Cup, no less than a Manchester derby as Manchester United take on Manchester City at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. It’s United’s third game in America this summer, and City’s first of a short pre-season campaign – but who will take the spoils in The Lone Star State? Kick-off is under an hour away.
Teams should be in shortly from the NRG Stadium – which had the honour of hosting New England Patriots’ remarkable comeback against the Atalanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI this February. Home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, it was also the first American football league ground to have a retractable roof, and has hosted a myriad of events over the past decade, from hockey through concerts by Metallica and U2. It is also familiar turf somewhat to United – they triumphed here seven years ago in the MLS All-Star Game, Federico Macheda netting twice in a 5-2 win.
So there we have it. Five changes to the United side who triumphed over Salt Lake City – with Juan Mata the most notable absentee after a knock picked up in that game. Guardiola has given unofficial debuts meanwhile to both of his major summer signings who travelled – as well as a start for Yaya Toure, who only linked up with City’s pre-season tour yesterday.
Some trivia whilst we wait for kick-off now. Manchester derbies have always been a centrepiece attraction of the season for both, such is the history between the two. But it is only twenty years ago that there was no regular Manchester derby. When City were relegated from the top tier at the conclusion of the 95/96 season – during United’s third Premier League title celebrations no less – it triggered a four-year-plus period without a derby. The pair met at Maine Road during April 1996, where United inflicted a 3-2 defeat on the hosts – but it would not be until November 2000 when they clashed again, the Red Devils narrow 1-0 winners in City’s backyard again.
It's the first start - indeed, first appearance - for City midfielder Phil Foden tonight. Born in Stockport and a product of the club's academy system, much is tipped for the youngster after an impressive campaign as part of England's UEFA European Under-17s Championships side that finished runners-up to Spain, where he scored two goals across the tournament.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson, Adarabioyo, Kompany (C), Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Walker, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Aguero, Roberts
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Blind, Herrera, Pogba, Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, Lukaku
Further confirmation on formation now, with both sides playing what appears to be unconventional 4-2-3-1 lineups. The most interesting titbit from this is that Marcus Rashford will start on the right wing tonight, as opposed to directly up-front with Lukaku, indicating that Mourinho sees a roaming role a stronger way of exploiting City’s defence. And after some confusion with the team-sheet earlier – where Foden had weirdly been named in goal with Ederson at centre-back – it is the Brazilian who starts in net for definite.
Both teams out in full now for the warm-up. A mild 31 degrees celsius - by Texan standards anyway - means that the roof is shut at the NRG Stadium this evening, in order to try and keep everyone a bit cooler. Both sides may be complaining about the heat now - but one imagines they'll sorely miss it when playing Huddersfield away in near-sub-zero temperatures around the new year.
Mourinho, on whether the Manchester derby being played outside of the UK is something special: "I don’t feel it like that, to be honest. This is a training session. Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid – they have some of the best players in Europe."
Guardiola, on the same: "Yes, indeed. All our pre-season has been calm so far. Hopefully we can go out there, have a great game and the fans will have a good time."
Just over five minutes before kick-off. The national anthem is duly bellowing around the NRG Stadium as the players head out to the tunnel. At a cursory glance, it seems United are the more popular of the two in Texas - red outnumbers blue by roughly two to one in the crowd.
The stadium lights are off and pounding club music is now echoing out of the speakers. As build-ups go, it's relatively impressive. Both teams line up for handshakes and the match ball is delivered - by Canadian rapper Drake, weirdly. Almost time...
And the referee blows his whistle for half-time. It was a fairly well-balanced opening half-hour at the NRG Stadium in Texas, with Kyle Walker justifying his hefty price tag at right-back for City and the young Phil Foden seamlessly integrating himself into the Blues lineup. But two rapid-fire goals, for Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford but daylight on the scoresheet between United and their rivals, with the Red Devils generally the slicker and quicker of the two. Food for thought for both teams at half-time in Texas.
Having made a spate of changes against Salt Lake City at the halfway mark earlier this week, Jose Mourinho has said that he will not swap out all eleven players again. But with a two-goal cushion, could he be tempted? We'll find out soon enough.
Despite trailing by two goals, City had the lion's share of the ball in the first half - 58.6 percent to United's 41.4. However, the Red Devils have had more chances than their youthful opponents.- ten shots with six on target, against City's seven and three. Regardless of the score though, it's been a good run-out for both so far - and a highly entertaining game for the crowd assembled in Houston.
Teams are back out for the second half. There's been changes for both by the looks of things...
And it's the Red Devils who take the ICC Manchester Derby in Houston! A comfortable win for United at the NRG Stadium after a dominant first half display saw goals for Lukaku and Rashford in three minutes. Both sides made extensive changes for the second half, giving run-outs to most of their squads - but even then, United had the edge over City. Pep Guardiola can take positives from the performance of his record signing Kyle Walker though - and a bright future looks assured for Philip Foden too. Both have the same opponent up next in the International Champions Cup - Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid, with United playing the Spanish champions on Sunday and City on Wednesday. But until then, both have time to study the result of another enjoyable Manchester derby. Final score in Texas, Manchester United 2 - 0 Manchester City.
That's all for our coverage today, as Jose Mourinho keeps an unbeaten record on Manchester United's pre-season tour. Is their victory over their potential title rivals the shape of things to come? The Premier League returns in only three weeks. Until the next time, thank you and good bye!
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