Being shut out of the Manchester derby might not have seemed so bad for fans after all.
United and City drew 0-0 in a drab Premier League encounter that saw the rivals manage only two shots each on target between them on Saturday.
How different from 279 days earlier when a United victory produced raucous celebrations from the victorious side on what turned out to be the last weekend with full stadiums allowed.
The easing of England’s coronavirus restrictions has yet to reach Manchester, with Old Trafford among the 10 Premier League clubs not even allowed 2,000 fans unlike the other 10 stadiums.
So the 183rd Manchester derby was the first one in an empty stadium. It was only the second time since 2010 that the rivals have played out a scoreless draw, reflecting their struggle to make an impression in the league this season.
“No fans is a different atmosphere,” City defender John Stones said. “The derby is a massive occasion for us as players and more for the city…