English Premier League: Manchester derby ends in stalemate

Manchester United failed to ease the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a limp display in their 0-0 draw against Manchester City on Saturday.

Solskjaer faced calls for his sacking after United crashed out of the Champions League with a midweek defeat at Leipzig.

The beleaguered United manager desperately needed an uplifting result in the Manchester derby to win back some support.

But, with Paul Pogba restored to the starting line-up, United laboured to a drab draw that left them in seventh place.

United have won just one of their last four games in all competitions and have only one win at Old Trafford in six Premier League games this term.

City weren’t much better than their bitter rivals and Pep Guardiola’s team are one place behind United in the table.

However, in contrast to United, there is not yet any sense of crisis around City — who have kept six successive clean-sheets in all competitions to equal a club record.

City should have been ahead in the first half when Gabriel Jesus shot over from Riyad Mahrez’s long pass.

The visitors’ best chance came when Kevin De Bruyne found Mahrez, whose shot was saved well by David De Gea before De Bruyne squandered the rebound.

United were awarded a penalty two minutes into the second half when Kyle Walker kicked Marcus Rashford, only for the decision to be overruled by VAR as the forward had strayed offside in the build-up.

De Bruyne saw his goal-bound effort well blocked by United defender Harry Maguire and Rashford shot wide after a good break, but chances were at a premium in a dire encounter.