ICC 2017
Manchester United 2-0 City: International Champions Cup 2017
LAFC vs LA Galaxy: Vela vs Zlatan live online, MLS week 25
Houston, Texas was the venue as Manchester United faced local rivals City as part of the 2017 International Champions Cup. And it was Mourinho's side that ran out winners.
Manchester United vs Manchester City: match report
Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford were on target as Manchester United defeated Premier League rivals Manchester City 2-0 in their International Champions Cup pre-season clash here Thursday.
Belgian international Lukaku grabbed his second goal in his second start for United as the Red Devils eased past a disjointed City at Houston's NRG Stadium. England striker Rashford meanwhile continued his impressive pre-season form with his third goal in three games of United's US tour. The game was the first ever Manchester derby played on foreign soil and both teams commemorated the May 22 attacks at a concert in the city shortly before the kick-off.
'It was a very good training session,' United manager Jose Mourinho said afterwards.
'We had to play well in the first half, is good intensity, the players are tired. I am really pleased and I'm sure Pep (Guardiola) is the same. The result is not the most important thing.'
Pep praises 'other level' Foden
City manager Pep Guardiola meanwhile shrugged off the loss, preferring to enthuse about the performance of teenager Phil Foden, a 17-year-old who has emerged from the club's youth set-up.
'I don't have words... It's a long time since I saw a performance like this - it was another level,' said Guardiola, who also confirmed that defender Aleksandar Kolarov was on his way out of the club, with Roma the likely destination. 'I don't like working with people who don't want to stay. He has a big chance to go to Roma. He has said he wants to leave,' Guardiola said of Kolarov.
Kolarov's looming exit heightens speculation that City are close to signing Monaco fullback Benjamin Mendy.
United sharper, City rusty
Earlier, United enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan testing new City keeper Ederson with a long-range effort just after 20 minutes. Ander Herrera also tried his luck from distance shortly afterwards but the young Brazilian gathered comfortably.
At the other end meanwhile, City, who handed a debut to new signing Kyle Walker, slowly got into their stride, with a deflected Raheem Sterling effort tipped over by David De Gea. City should have had a penalty on 31 minutes when youngster Patrick Roberts was tugged back by Chris Smalling as he burst into the area. Instead Smalling managed to get a foot in and clear with Sterling's follow-up effort blocked.
Six minutes later United took the lead with a superb goal from Lukaku. A long clearance from Paul Pogba drew Ederson off his line but Lukaku managed to nod the loose ball past the stranded City goalkeeper before finishing from a tight angle.
Two minutes afterwards, United doubled their lead with another swift counter-attack. This time it was Mkhitaryan who turned creator, releasing Rashford with a deft pass. The teenage England striker picked his spot and drilled a low finish across Ederson into the bottom corner.
United continued to enjoy the better chances early in the second half, with Lukaku almost grabbing a second when his curling strike hit the woodwork on 53 minutes. Both Mourinho and opposite number Guardiola made a flurry of changes throughout the second half as the game fizzled out.
Manchester United vs Manchester City: how the game unfolded live
Manchester United vs Manchester City: preview
Houston is the home of NASA's Mission Control Centre, and Manchester United and Manchester City will both be hoping for lift off when they face each other in the Texan city as part of the International Champions Cup.
Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho will view the match as an opportunity to dip their toes in experimental waters; to integrate new signings and begin to polish their tactical models with the 2017/18 Premier League season starting in less than a month. Both managers are under pressure to improve on uninspiring performances in the last campaign.
With suffocating heat in Houston, expect plenty of rotation from both sides.
Manchester United: team news
Romelu Lukaku found the net for the first time in a United shirt in a narrow 1-2 victory over Real Salt Lake on Tuesday. Mkhitaryan also scored for the tourists, but the evening was soured for Mourinho as Juan Mata left the pitch due to injury, while Antonio Valencia was shown a red card.
Nevertheless, United go in to Friday morning's match with a 100% record in pre-season, having already seen off Los Angeles Galaxy 2-5 on Sunday.
United fans will have further opportunity to see new signings Lukaku and Lindelof, while youngsters Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Scott McTominay are involved with the squad.
Jose Mourinho: “I want to fight against Manchester City in the Premier League not here,” said the United manager.For me it's just the same [as against LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake], but against better players and a better team."
Manchester City: team news
City are behind their rivals in the pre-season process, having not played a match since the 0-5 drubbing of Watford on the final day of the Premier League season. As such, The Citizens are likely to be a little more sluggish than the team in red.
Kyle Walker, a surprising holder of the 'World's Most Expensive Defender' tag, could trot out in Houston for his first City appearance since moving north from Tottenham Hotspur. Bernardo Silva and Ederson may also feature.
Vincent Kompany: "My situation is simple, my wife is from Manchester, she’s a blue, her family is divided between blue and red and when we go together at Christmas for dinner it’s an issue sometimes. That’s everything about a derby, really."
United vs City: odds and betting
United will be sharper than City, having already played two pre-season matches. City winning at half time, United winning at full time is available at 20/1.