A sensational performance from champions Manchester City saw them run out 6-3 winners over rivals Manchester United in the Manchester derby. Summer signing Erling Haaland continued his imperious goal-scoring run by hitting three, with England star Phil Foden adding a treble of his own. Antony and Anthony Martial scored second-half consolations for Erik ten Hag’s side.
Erling Haaland struck his third hat-trick in eight Premier League games as Manchester City decimated Manchester United 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden’s three goals and a dominant display from Kevin de Bruyne were the other highlights of a whirlwind encounter. A first-half flurry killed off a nervy United as Pep Guardiola taught Erik ten Hag a stern lesson on his Manchester derby debut.
Foden opened the scoring with the match just eight minutes old, sweeping home a Bernardo Silva pull-back as City forced the issue down the flanks, terrorising Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia, both booked in the early exchanges.
Erling Haaland powered home a de Bruyne corner with an unchallenged header on 34 minutes, doubling his tally just three minutes later. A trademark de Bruyne burst through the heart of the United midfield saw a petrified defensive line drop deeper and deeper, allowing the Belgian to play a beautifully clipped pass beyond Raphael Varane, with the Norwegian peeling off the Frenchman at the far post, taking David de Gea by surprise at his near post.
Foden was back on the goal-scoring act on 43 minutes as Haaland turned provider, fed by another de Bruyne drive through the gears as the number nine drifted leftwards to kill the game off.
Ten Hag reacted with a half-time switch, replacing Malacia with Luke Shaw, and the left-back offered more thrust down that side as United looked to ease their embarrassment.
Antony curled a beauty beyond his compatriot Ederson after 56 minutes, a goal that no-one saw coming after further United uncertainty after the restart.
United had hope after that moment of magic. but they were put well and truly back in their place by Haaland, who guided a low Sergio Gomez cross beyond David de Gea on 64 minutes to seal the deal, netting his 14th goal in just eight games in the top flight.
Cristiano Ronaldo could only watch on as Foden compounded United’s misery, helping himself to his third of the game as Haaland turned provider once more, finishing with aplomb inside de Gea’s near post as Shaw played his England colleague onside.
The Frenchman got his second from the spot in the last minutes after he was felled by Joao Cancelo, and he netted into the top right corner to make it 6-3.
This result proves a humbling one for ten Hag and United after their recent optimism: they slide into sixth, while City move to within one point of table-topping Arsenal.
TALKING POINT – DOUBLE TROUBLE
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both have a match ball to fight over as their electrifying displays helped dispatch a very-much below-par Manchester United.
It was their ruthlessness in front of goal, combined with the technical brilliance of their backing singers and the tactical mastery of their mercurial manager that saw them galaxies ahead of their neighbours in this one.
Haaland came into this game yet to experience a Manchester derby, and he got the dream start with three well-taken goals in this one.
Foden demonstrated his own goal-scoring knack with two poacher-like finishes and a beautifully composed third to round off a near-perfect performance to make up for two disappointing displays in an England shirt during the international break.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – ERLING HAALAND, MANCHESTER CITY
It could’ve been Foden, but it couldn’t really be anyone else.
A truly awesome performance that demonstrated everything that Erling Haaland is about.
Pace, strength, intelligence in his movement, and most importantly, that clinical nature in front of goal, the Norwegian proved why he is the name on everyone’s lips in the footballing world.
He terrorised the United defence with his athleticism and his movement, paving the way for de Bruyne to weave his majestic magic behind him, as was on show for City’s third.
Courtesy: Eurosport.com
