Following the international break, club football returned with both clubs in Manchester needing to get themselves a run of form that can shake off any question marks surrounding their respective starts to the season. City had opened well, but losing their 2 following games left question marks over Pep’s long-term future and the clubs ability to challenge for a title. Meanwhile, United scraped a much needed win over Burnley just before the break, but losses to Arsenal and Grimsby, and the dropped points against Fulham still have huge pressure over Amorim and the club as a whole.

The clash on Sunday saw the home team take bragging rights with the kind of dominant display often seen from a thriving City side, while United retreated to their former selves of last season, looking limited in attack, unsure in possession, open in midfield and defensively frail. With little aggression or clarity to their approach, the result allows City the breathing room to push on again with domestic and European trophy challenges, while United are once again looking at a week of scrutiny and question marks surrounding the Amorim era and his unwillingness to adapt his approach.

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Teams

Manchester City: Donnarumma, O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Khusanov, Rodri (Gonzalez 76′), Doku (Savinho 77′), Foden, Reijnders, Silva (Ake 88′), Haaland (Bobb 87′)

Subs: Trafford, Nunes, Lewis, Mfuni, Mukasa

Manchester United: Bayindir, Shaw, De Ligt, Yoro (Maguire 62′), Dorgu, Ugarte (Casemiro 80′), Fernandes, Mazraoui (Mainoo 62′), Amad, Mbeumo, Sesko (Zirkzee 80′)

Subs: Lammens, Heaton, Heaven, Leon, Fredricson

Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United

The Etihad buzzed from kick-off in the 197th Manchester derby, and it didn’t take long for City to take control. After some early probing attacks, Jerémy Doku broke free down the flank in the 18th minute, danced past Luke Shaw, and produced a cross that Phil Foden met with a well-timed header to beat Altay Bayindir. It was Foden’s first start of the season, and his finish was both assured and emphatic. United, though not letting City dominate entirely, were already under pressure in wide areas and struggled to impose themselves in midfield.

United tried to reply, with Benjamin Sesko seeing an effort pushed away by the debutant Gianluigi Donnarumma, and other hopeful crosses entering the box. But clear chances were rare. City, spurred on by the lead, maintained the momentum, with Doku again causing problems and Reijnders firing just over from distance. Donnarumma made a crucial save in the first half: when Bryan Mbeumo connected with a volley, the Italian’s reflexes kept the clean sheet intact.

After the break, the feeling was that United needed to shift up a gear. But City had other ideas. In the 53rd minute, a throw-in on City’s left eventually found Doku, and his laid-off pass released Haaland, who calmly clipped the ball over Bayindir to make it 2-0. Mere minutes later he nearly had a hat-trick after Doku split the United defence, Haaland rounded the keeper only to see his effort brush the post. City’s attacks were crisp and increasingly dominant.

By the 68th minute, the contest looked all but over. Bernardo Silva intercepted a poor pass from Harry Maguire, found Haaland through, and the Norwegian striker calmly slotted home his second of the afternoon. United pushed on late, but could not conjure much. A couple of decent crosses, a corner here or there, but Donnarumma was not troubled seriously again. City saw out the game with professionalism, pressing when needed, controlling possession, and rarely allowing United’s optimism to bloom.

This was an emphatic win for City, particularly meaningful after a couple of mixed results prior to the international break. Haaland once more showed why he’s their talisman, two goals, moments of danger, and always a threat. Doku’s role as creator again underlined his growing importance. As for United, this was a harsh reminder of how thin things still are as despite good intentions and occasional flashes of chance, they still are lacking cohesion and ruthlessness. In derby games that matter, small margins are decisive, and City took those decisively.

Talking Points

Rúben Amorim endured another chastening afternoon as Manchester United manager, with this 3-0 defeat at the Etihad raising fresh doubts over his tactical setup. United’s attempt to sit compact and spring forward was undone by City’s relentless width and sharp interchanges, leaving large gaps between midfield and defence. The Portuguese coach has promised a more proactive style since arriving, but his side once again looked caught between pressing high and sitting deep, allowing City’s creators far too much time to dictate. Questions will only grow louder about whether Amorim’s preferred system can truly translate to the pace and precision of the Premier League, and the inflexibility to alter or adapt the approach despite most of the footballing worlds expectations.

There were fleeting glimpses of quality from United, but they were mostly left chasing shadows. Benjamin Šeško forced an early save from Gianluigi Donnarumma and Bruno Fernandes produced a couple of clever through-balls, yet these moments were isolated rather than sustained. Too often United’s forwards were marooned, with transitions breaking down before they could trouble City’s back line. When United did build possession, City’s press forced hurried passes and turnovers, underlining the gulf in confidence and cohesion between the two sides.

The result compounds what has become a worrying start to the season for United, who now find themselves already drifting behind the early pacesetters. With only one win from their opening five games in all competitions and a defence leaking goals, pressure is mounting on Amorim to find solutions quickly. The derby defeat is damaging not only for the table but for morale, with fans fearing another campaign of frustration if adjustments aren’t made. A home fixture next weekend offers a chance to respond, but on this evidence, United’s new era is still searching for lift-off.