Manchester City 6-3 Manchester United
And that is exactly why they are Premier League champions!
I write this into after 42 minutes of the encounter and Manchester City are 3-0 up (it will double).
Hardened Manchester United fans may well point to Raphael Varane being injured as the hosts scored twice in less than four minutes to turn a close scoreline into a comprehensive one.
And there is no doubt the Frenchman’s absence from the pitch as the second goal went in and was then followed by the third, swiftly followed by his substitution, was a blow for the visitors.
But make no mistake, even if Varane had stayed fit, the contest was as one-sided as the final scoreline shows.
All the Premier League highlights belonged to Pep Guardiola’s side who dictated the ball from start to finish and were simply too quick in both mind and body for their neighbours.
If ever a result summed up the changing face of the Manchester derby, this was it.
Highlights of the game
The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds were stacked in favour of City before kick-off yet, instead of perhaps opting for a disciplined, defensive opening, United were picked off inside eight minutes.
Joao Cancelo had space to find Bernardo Silva who drilled the ball across where the unmarked Phil Foden confidently fizzed it beyond a helpless David de Gea.
Despite their dominance, United were still in the game when Varane left the fray to receive treatment.
From the resulting corner, Kevin de Bruyne whipped in a precise delivery and there was Erling Braut Haaland to power home a header, despite the best efforts of Tyrell Malacia who cleared only after the ball had crossed the line.
With Varane back on but struggling, de Bruyne then played an inch perfect ball which bisected the visitors’ defence and the deadly Haaland made it three with the studs of his boot.
Varane was substituted straight afterwards and his replacement, Victor Lindelof, could only watch as the same two players linked up again moments later with Haaland sliding the ball perfectly across the box for Foden.
At this stage it was hard to think this was actually City side without its three best centre backs – Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Ruben Dias – and who lost Kyle Walker before the break.
With the game won, United had the scant consolation of scoring the best goal of the game 11 minutes after the restart as new signing Antony cut in off the left and curled beautifully into the far corner.
The respite was brief as history was made when Haaland became the first player to score three successive hat-tricks in home matches in the Premier League – an incredible talent.
The link-up between de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and special talent Foden was as mesmerising as the finish was emphatic.
Five soon became six as Grealish and Haaland again combined to find Foden whose finish was brilliant to complete his own hat-trick.
With United being humiliated, they did at least restore a modicum of pride in the closing stages.
First, Luke Shaw found fellow substitute Fred whose shot was saved by Ederson and another replacement, Anthony Martial, reacted quickly to nod home.
The same player then netted the perfect penalty out of reach of Ederson after he had been brought down by Cancelo just inside the box.
This was City’s day though. A match ball apiece for Haaland and Foden, Manchester is blue and, on this form, the champions look unstoppable.
Key statistics
In Haaland (17) and De Bruyne (10), City have both the highest scorer and highest assister in Europe’s big five leagues in all competitions this season, with De Bruyne already setting up five Haaland goals.
This is the first competitive Manchester derby in which as many as eight goals have been scored.
United conceded two hat-tricks in a top-flight match for the first time since a 6-0 home loss against Huddersfield Town in September 1930.
Since the start of 2020-21, United have conceded four first-half goals in four Premier League games (v Spurs in Oct 2020, Liverpool in Oct 2021, Brentford in Aug 2022, City today) – twice as often as any other side in this time.
Foden’s second goal was his 50th for City in all competitions. Aged 22 years and 127 days, he is now the youngest player to reach 50 goals under Guardiola, surpassing Lionel Messi (22 years, 164 days).
Aged 22 years and 73 days, Haaland is the second-youngest player to score in his first Manchester derby in the Premier League after Mario Balotelli in October 2011 (21 years, 72 days).
What’s next?
It’s into Europe next for both clubs.
City host FC Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday before United are at Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League the following day.
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