EPL: Ighalo plays for seven minutes as Devils devour City

Rave of the moment, Odion Ighalo, starred for seven minutes as Manchester United continued their pursuit of the Champions League with a rousing 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday.
The Nigerian striker came on for another summer signing, Bruno Fernandes, in the 88th minute of the pulsating tie.
Ighalo, who had so far scored two goals for the Premier League champions, brought his experience to bear to the cheers of teeming home fans.
Meanwhile, Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay netted, but Ederson was at fault for both goals, seeing Martial’s effort squirm under him in the first half and then a wrong throw in injury time gave McTominay the chance to finish into an empty net.
United’s win means they stay within touching distance of the top four and a Champions League spot, with only three points between them and fourth place Chelsea, who beat Everton 4-0 earlier in the day.
The result also means Liverpool are now only two wins from winning their first title in 30 years.
City play twice before Liverpool play again, at home to Arsenal on Wednesday and then home to Burnley next Saturday.
United, unbeaten now in 10, went ahead following a spell of sustained pressure.
While the home side had maintained the upper hand for most of the half, City were clearly frustrated at the circumstances that allowed United to break the deadlock.
Bruno Fernandes went down under a challenge from Ilkay Gundogan and Pep Guardiola’s players immediately surrounded referee Mike Dean as he awarded United a free kick.
Fernandes took the resulting free kick and in a move that seemed straight off the training ground, chipped the ball over the City defence to a waiting Martial who volleyed it goalwards.
Ederson got a touch to the ball but it wasn’t enough as it slid underneath him and into the net on the half hour mark.
United were left with their own referee complaints a little over 10 minutes later when Fred was booked for going down too easily in the area.
Replays showed Nicolas Otamendi appeared to kick him in the shin but VAR and the referee decided that Fred’s reaction was disproportionate to Otamendi’s challenge and no penalty was given.
City almost had the dream start to the second half after Raheem Sterling played Sergio Aguero in, and he fired the ball into the net.
However, the assistant referee raised his flag for offside and VAR found Aguero was ahead of United’s defence but by the slightest of margins.
Ederson nearly granted United their second goal 49 minutes in.
A terribly controlled back pass saw the goalkeeper and Martial diving for the same ball inches from the line.
Ederson managed to get there just ahead of the France international, saving his blushes.
A double City substitution on the hour mark brought a renewed urgency to City’s attack. Aguero and Bernardo Silva came off for Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez but it wasn’t enough to allow them a goal.
And Ederson’s nightmare afternoon was complete when a dreadful attempt to relaunch attack for City found McTominay, who made no mistake.