Rash smashes City title hopes

LOUIS van Gaal is confident of leading Manchester United into the Champions League – a drum Manuel Pellegrini is also beating despite Manchester City’s poor league form.

The 171st Manchester derby was always likely to have a huge impact on the remainder of the campaign, with City hoping to keep their faint title hopes alive and United keen to reach the top four.

Van Gaal admitted before the match that defeat would all but end their Champions League hopes, but his side produced a manful display to close the gap on misfiring City

Marcus Rashford’s first–half strike at the Etihad Stadium saw his first Manchester derby end in a 1–0 win, making his manager believe a top–four finish is possible.

“I said in advance that we must win this game and we have done it, so I am very happy,” Van Gaal said.

“Now it is in our own hands, I think. We have to win our games, we have more home matches than away matches. We don’t lose so much at Old Trafford, so we have a huge chance.”

City had plenty of opportunities but were unable to eke out a leveller, allowing United move to within a point of their fourth place.

The Champions League quarter–finals may await the Capital One Cup winners, but they have now only won one of six league matches, raising questions of whether Pep Guardiola’s impending arrival has negatively impacted the squad.

“We continue in fourth position,” Pellegrini said. “We have to play for another 24 points. We must be focused on the next game.”