A second-half goal from Erling Haaland ensured the blue half of Manchester enjoyed local bragging rights on Sunday after City defeated United 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half – when Phil Foden was sent off after kicking out at Bruno Fernandes – it was City who maintained their perfect start to the season as they made it four wins out of four in the Premier League.
There was controversy with City's winner, though, when VAR rightly ruled that Haaland had been onside when Josko Gvardiol's cross came in. Still, United will argue that Enzo Fernandez, who had certainly been offside, had interfered with play before the Norwegian's shot hit the roof of the net.
City will reflect on a well-earned three points after a magnificent performance from the moment they went a man down, with United failing to take advantage.
Michael Carrick's side have now won only once in the league this season and sit 13th in the table. City are second behind Arsenal on goal difference.
What they said:
United midfielder Youri Tielemans: “We shouldn’t have conceded the goal. I don’t think we created enough chances today to win the game. We were sloppy on the ball and lost too many balls and didn’t make the right decisions in the final third. Other than the goal they scored, I don’t think they had many chances. It is what it is, and we lost the game.
“We need a calm response but we have got to react anyway. We haven’t won two games in a row yet. We need some momentum and consistency in our team and our results. That is what is going to make us move forward.”
City striker Erling Haaland: “It's a new experience for me to win with 10 men. It's amazing to be honest. We had to lay low, which wasn’t ideal. We like to keep the ball and try to score goals, but at this time we have to lay low and take the chances when it is possible. I think it showed personality and character to keep the ball away at Old Trafford with 10 men.
“We had to change the plan at half-time. Enzo [Maresca, City manager] gave us a new one and we played to our strengths. We counter-attacked a bit more. Personally, I just had to be there and wait for a chance and if I get a chance I had to be ready to execute.”
Man United ratings
Senne Lammens – 6/10: Quiet, then beaten by Haaland on 62 minutes. Pushed a Fernandez shot superbly on to the post in the 67th minute. It wasn’t on him as City won at Old Trafford for the first time in three years.
Diogo Dalot – 4/10: Started with intent and made a tackle on Semenyo. Assertive on his 250th United game and he made a perfect run and leap towards a Fernandes pass on nine minutes. A clumsy ball towards Lammens in the 21st minute, after a long ball over the top, troubled him. Headed a ball awkwardly towards Haaland in the 35th minute.
Harry Maguire – 6/10: Started well and made a tackle on Anderson. Confident taking the ball on and moving forward. Booked for pushing Fernandez, who was also booked. Should have known better there. Headed wide on 85 minutes. Good in the air.
Lisandro Martinez – 6/10: Started with intent and a tackle on Cherki. Blocked a 14th-minute shot. Deflected a cross to Haaland, which led to City’s opening goal on 60 minutes. Called City’s goal an “injustice”.
Patrick Dorgu – 5/10: Replaced Shaw, who had started the previous 41 United league matches and just didn’t have the same relationship with Maguire. Not that he played badly, though his attempted block led to City’s goal.
Kobbie Mainoo – 7/10: United’s best player. More touches – by far – than any United player. Benefited from the space created by City having only 10 men. Smacked the post with a spectacular curling shot on 50 minutes as United had five shots in the first 15 minutes of the second half against none from City. Then they scored.
Youri Tielemans – 6/10: He’s getting marginally better with each game, but City were too comfortable. First player off, yet United were worse off for his absence.
Bryan Mbeumo – 6/10: Hit a shot miles wide on 55 minutes and cursed himself for it. His 72nd-minute header went wide. Gave a ball away badly on 84, then came closest to scoring in the 84th minute.
Bruno Fernandes – 5/10: Smart ball towards Dalot on nine minutes. Shot weakly and wide a minute later. Inadvertently set up Haaland, who had not touched the ball, after Martinez fired a ball at him. Then involved in the altercation which saw Foden sent off. Couldn’t find his range in the first half, overhitting a few balls. Better on 69 minutes as he shot on target with a dipping effort.
Marcus Rashford – 6/10: Lively on the left, taking on players. Ran into City and was brought down heavily after five minutes. Then won the ball back to applause. A lovely free kick hit the post in the 45th minute. Came off. Can be satisfied with his effort.
Matheus Cunha – 5/10: Started in the central attacking role. Another who came to life in the second half, shooting in the 55th minute after picking the ball up 25 yards from goal. United had 16 shots, 10 of them from outside the box, to City’s six but failed to score again.
Substitutes:
Benjamin Sesko (on for Tielemans, 66') – 6/10: Long-range shot but didn’t have the impact he made at Everton.
Joshua Zirkzee (On for Rashford, 83') – N/A
Man City ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 8/10: Beaten by Rashford's free-kick and Mainoo's strike that both hit the post either side of half-time. Match-winning, one-handed save from Mbeumo in injury time.
Matheus Nunes – 8/10: One brilliantly timed challenge on the dangerous Rashford late in the first half that was followed by a carry upfield that turned defensive danger into a counter-attack. Marked the England forward out of the game in the second half.
Ruben Dias – 8/10: A real captain's performance at the back alongside Guehi as they helped nullify United despite their side being a man down for a large chunk of the game.
Marc Guehi – 9/10: Magnificent showing in the centre of defence. Cool and calm, he was not beaten on the ground or in the air.
Josko Gvardiol – 8/10: It was the Croatian's deflected cross from the left that was finished by Haaland for the game's opening goal. Played his part in City's brilliant defensive performance.
Elliot Anderson – 8/10: England midfielder has some engine on him, relentless running and interceptions from start to finish, which were crucial for his team when they went down to 10 men. A couple of wayward crosses are the only blot on his copybook.
Enzo Fernandez – 7/10: Gave away a silly free-kick that resulted in Rashford hitting the post. Lucky not to be penalised for offside when going for the ball ahead of Haaland scoring. Thought he'd made it 2-0, but a precise shot was tipped on to the post by Semmens. Booked for diving that led to a shove from Maguire.
Phil Foden – 4/10: Shown a straight red card in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Fernandes after being kicked in the back when on the ground. A huge overreaction followed, but Foden should know better.
Rayan Cherki – 5/10: Hit a volley from the edge of the box soon after Foden's red card that looked goal-bound but the French danger man had little impact and was taken off at half-time.
Antoine Semenyo – 7/10: Wasted first-half opportunity when gifted possession by Dalot but could only send a weak cross into the goalkeeper's hands. Provided a regular outlet down the left flank without much threat on goal.
Erling Haaland – 7/10: Nine touches and no chances in the opening 45 minutes for the Norwegian striker. Had the ball in the back of the net with a close-range finish on the hour, but the offside flag went up, only for VAR to give the goal. That's six goals in six games across all competitions.
Substitutes:
Iliman Ndiaye (on for Cherki, 46') – 6/10: Summer signing from Everton was brought on for his ball-carrying ability with the team a man down. Not a huge amount of opportunities to do that, but played his part in a fine City second-half performance.
Nico O'Reilly (on for Fernandez, 82') – N/A
