Premier League: Man City 3-0 Man United
Erling Haaland urged Manchester City to “get our asses going”, then showed exactly how with the second and third goals that sealed this 197th derby for Pep Guardiola’s men, and ended a run of two defeats.
This is no vintage City iteration – currently, at least – but witnessing how the prolific Norwegian bagged his strikes, and performed throughout, suggests their main man is up for leading the revival.
Manchester United seem to have accepted their mediocrity, but how long can it go on?Read more
His second goal came on 68 minutes and signalled contest over on an afternoon that began in fittingly sombre mood owing to Ricky Hatton’s sad passing on Sunday morning, which was marked by a pre-game minute’s appreciation and in-game singing of the lifelong City fan’s name.
The win gives City six points from four league outings and leaves Ruben Amorim’s struggling unit on four. They might have trundled home nursing a bigger defeat if Haaland’s teammates were as ruthless – towards the close Tijjani Reijnders again sprung United’s wafer-thin midfield, Amorim wheeled away in disgust, but the Dutchman sprayed wide.
In Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma (excellent on debut), Rodri, Phil Foden (who netted the opener), Rúben Dias and others, Guardiola has a high-quality coterie. Amorim still does not, which is the puzzle he must solve if last season’s disastrous campaign is not to be repeated.
The Portuguese has 31 points from his 31 Premier League games in charge – relegation and job-losing form. Yet again his side lacked imagination, guile and, most importantly, fantasy. Perhaps it will click, but 12 years after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement how-soon-is-now remains the poser regarding when United might turn a seemingly endless corner.
In total Guardiola (six) and Amorim (four) made 10 changes, the former’s headline one the dropping of James Trafford for Donnarumma, the latter’s handing striker Benjamin Sesko a first start. The duo had an opening interaction when Sesko pivoted and shot and the Italian flung his 6ft 5in frame right and saved.
Amorim’s solution to Matheus Cunha being injured was to ignore Kobbie Mainoo, retain Bruno Fernandes as his No 8 and field Bryan Mbeumo up front on the left and Amad Diallo on the right.
Diallo spurned a gilded opening. Fernandes tapped left to Patrick Dorgu, the wingback spiralled the ball to the far post, and the Ivorian fluffed an airborne scissor-kick.
Soon, Phil Foden taught him how to finish. Rodri, as is his genius, was calm in midfield traffic, shaping a simple pass to Jérémy Doku. The Belgian hit turbo-boost, leaving Luke Shaw motionless, then careered along the right deep into United’s area.
A first cross pinballed back to him. The second was floated into Foden, whose leap and header, steered left past Altay Bayindir, was impressive.
Great for Guardiola, dismal for Amorim, who soon again saw his side scythed apart by Doku, this time along the left. When he rolled the ball to Reijnders, the midfielder unloaded into Bayindir’s midriff and United breathed again.
Next, they fought for a hard-claimed foothold that halted a passage of City pummelling them, as personified by a Haaland barge through their centre. Fernandes flipped balls to Dorgu or sought to release Diallo or Mbeumo down the middle. Sesko wrestled Dias and those in blue had to scurry after passes from those in red: the reversal of how Guardiola schools them.
When Nico O’Reilly drifted inside and blazed over this came seven minutes before the break and was some time since City’s previous foray. They had the lead but not the initiative: a boon for United that illustrated a decent first-half effort.
Yet the bottom line was this: as the contest started up again United stared at a second league loss, and City a second win. A Fernandes corner was repelled; then Noussair Mazraoui’s dart on the right stymied by Josko Gvardiol’s attention. After Fernandes hoofed a pass out, Amorim clapped exasperated hands.
Then came what felt the killer blow: Doku’s latest scamper threaded Haaland through, he galloped on to the ball and clipped it over Bayindir with a finish that caused widespread jubilation apart from among those from the town’s red zone.
If Haaland’s finish was lethal, his miss moments later had Guardiola kneeling in disbelief. Matthijs de Ligt’s loose pass went to Doku, whose ball again had the big No 9 stomping in. Bayindir rushed out, the goal gaped and Haaland, yards away, scooped the ball all the way past the goalline to find the right post.
At the other end, Mbeumo’s volley brought a great save from Donnarumma. Now Amorim brought off Leny Yoro for Mainoo and Mazraoui for Harry Maguire. This pushed Fernandes into a No 10 berth, Diallo became the right wing-back and Mainoo was in the No 8 role.
But minutes later Haaland was released from halfway by Bernardo Silva’s pass, chased vainly by Maguire, and slotted calmly past Bayindir. United remained toothless and when Haaland was replaced on 87 minutes it was to a raucous ovation.