After an impressive midweek performance against Atalanta, Eric Bailly retained his place in the starting line-up for the Manchester derby.
Playing alongside Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire, the Ivorian was again deployed on the right of a back three.
But after only seven minutes of the clash at Old Trafford, United’s number three sliced a Joao Cancelo cross past David de Gea, to give Pep Guardiola’s side an early lead.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side never got a stranglehold of the game, but Bailly’s own goal was the perfect gift for the reigning Premier League champions.
Unfortunately, it was the type of moment that the former Villarreal man is capable of pulling off. He can equally pull off the sublime or the ridiculous.
But in this instance his attempted panicky clearance flew past de Gea and put United on the back foot from the get go.
The 27-year-old posted on Instagram after the match to highlight his dismay at his and the team’s performance.
Eric Bailly frustrated with display
Making his first Premier League appearance of the season, it wasn’t how Bailly would have envisaged it going.
Without Raphael Varane, United’s defence was all over the place and we lacked that assuring and commanding presence the World Cup winner brings.
With the former Real Madrid man expected to be on the side-lines for another month, Bailly, Lindelof and Maguire have to step up in the Frenchman’s absence, otherwise the pressure is only going to intensify on Solskjaer.
It was an erratic moment from Bailly, but he and the team have to bounce back, they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves.
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