After a very strong start to 2024, a recent blip against Fulham brought United back down to earth, and a clash against rivals City gave them a stern test which they couldn’t come out of. After a strong quick start, they couldn’t maintain the lead and allowed their rivals back into the clash, which resulted in a pretty poor showing overall, and a defeat they need to move on past quickly ahead of some tough upcoming games.

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Teams

Manchester City: Ederson, Ake, Dias, Walker, Stones, Rodri, Doku (Alvarez 59′), Silva, De Bruyne, Foden (Bobb 90′), Haaland

Subs: Ortega, Gvardiol, Akanji, Nunes, Lewis, Kovacic, Gomez

Manchester United: Onana, Lindelof, Evans (Kambwala 69′), Varane, Dalot, Mainoo (Forson 82′), Casemiro, Garnacho (Amrabat 82′), McTominay, Rashford (Antony 75′), Fernandes

Subs: Bayindir, Ogunneye, Amad, Eriksen, Collyer

Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United

Manchester City came from behind to earn a commanding 3–1 derby win over Manchester United at the Etihad, overcoming a bright United start with a dominant, patient performance. Erik ten Hag’s side stunned the home crowd early when Marcus Rashford unleashed a thunderous strike from distance, cannoning in off the underside of the bar to give United a 1–0 lead against the run of play. For a spell, United’s disciplined shape frustrated City, who probed but lacked their usual fluency in the final third.

The second half, however, saw the champions shift into a higher gear, with Phil Foden at the heart of the turnaround. The Academy star levelled the match with a curling left-footed beauty from the edge of the box, a goal that felt inevitable as City tightened their grip on possession. United struggled to escape their own half as City’s tempo rose, and the pressure eventually told again when Foden struck his second, a crisp, clinical finish after linking neatly with Julián Álvarez.

With United forced to chase the game late on, City found the spaces they’d been waiting for, and Erling Haaland made sure of the points by sweeping home a third in stoppage time. It capped a performance that underlined City’s depth, control, and big-game composure, while United were left to rue an encouraging first half that fizzled under relentless pressure. For Pep Guardiola’s side, it was another derby statement; for United, another afternoon where promise slipped away beneath the weight of their rivals’ quality.

Talking Points

Manchester United’s bright opening at the Etihad offered a glimpse of what might have been, sparked by Marcus Rashford’s explosive early strike. The forward’s rising effort from distance crashed in off the bar and briefly silenced the home crowd, giving United a lead that came against the rhythm of City’s early possession. For a short spell, United looked sharp, compact, and purposeful on the break, signs of a game plan that, in the moment, appeared to be working.

But as has happened too often in United’s biggest fixtures, that initial promise dissolved once real pressure arrived. City grew more insistent with every passing minute, and United’s defensive structure began to buckle under the weight of sustained possession. Phil Foden’s equaliser, a superb curling finish, felt like the turning point, and once the momentum swung, United struggled to hold their shape or impose themselves. By the time Foden struck again, the visitors’ resistance had all but vanished, and the match had taken on a familiar, unwelcome script for the travelling fans.

Ultimately, the derby served as another stark illustration of the growing gulf in quality between the two Manchester clubs. City’s control, cohesion, and confidence in big moments contrasted sharply with United’s fragility once tested. Erling Haaland’s late goal added emphasis to a result that reflected not just form, but the broader direction of both teams: City operating like a finely tuned machine, United still searching for stability, identity, and a way to truly compete in these defining fixtures.