Manchester United are not alone in going into the Manchester derby grateful for the heroics of a Portuguese in the
Champions League. João Cancelo’s exploits may have been less dramatic than Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-gasp intervention against Atalanta but his hat-trick of assists put
Manchester City top of Group A and on the cusp of booking their spot in the last 16 for a ninth successive season.
An ultimately emphatic scoreline was facilitated by the full-back who doubles up as a playmaker and, when he hit the post, was almost a scorer as well. “He is playing incredibly well all season,”
Pep Guardiola said. “He is in a special place, having a special ability to do something good.”