City produce dazzling display to dismantle United in Manchester derby

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks, with City running out 6-3 winners in front of a packed Etihad crowd. 

The champions were 4-0 ahead at half-time after two goals apiece from Foden and Haaland, as United struggled to cope with the speed of our football.

Antony got one back for the visitors early in the second half with a fine curling effort.

But Haaland and Foden completed their trebles to put City 6-1 up, before Anthony Martial’s close-range header and late penalty reduced the deficit. 

It was yet another historic day at the Etihad that will live long in the memory of those in attendance.

What happened?

City flew out of the traps and were almost ahead inside four minutes with a trio of chances in the space of a few seconds.

Haaland’s header towards goal was cleared off the line but only as far as De Bruyne, whose powerful drive was saved by an off-balance David De Gea, before Bernardo’s effort on the rebound was blocked when the Portuguese midfielder looked certain to score.

But moments later and City were ahead. We moved the ball brilliantly from right to left, Bernardo found some space in a wide area and crossed for Foden, who produced a quite brilliant first-time finish past De Gea.

The pace and precision of City’s passing game was overwhelming United, who looked overawed and bereft of any answers.

And the City chances kept coming. Ilkay Gundogan hit the outside of the post with a fine free-kick after the lively Jack Grealish had been fouled by Lisandro Martinez, before Foden flashed one wide of the upright after great work from Bernardo down our left.

Only some backs-to-the-wall defending from United was keeping City at bay. Grealish danced past Diogo Dalot inside the area but his shot was blocked superbly by Martinez, and seconds later De Bruyne’s dipping effort from distance was tipped over by De Gea.

From the resulting corner, our lead was doubled when Erling Haaland made it 15 goals in 11 games for City with a powerful downward header that had crossed the line before Tyrell Malacia’s attempted clearance.

The City No. 9 then bagged his second three minutes later, stretching out a leg at the backpost to turn De Bruyne’s excellent delivery into the net.

City were turning on the style and the noise inside the Etihad was deafening.

Our fourth was perhaps the finest of the lot. De Bruyne, whose early-season form has been nothing short of sensational, burst forward from midfield and released Haaland, whose delivery to the backpost was hammered home emphatically by Foden.

It was the Stockport-born midfielder’s 50th City goal and it effectively ended the game as a contest before the half-time whistle had been blown, with this the first time in Premier League history a team had been 4-0 up at the break in a Manchester derby.

United got one back early in the second half when Antony produced a fine curling effort that flew past Ederson and into the far corner, much to the frustration of Pep Guardiola, who continued demanding more from his players. 

United’s reprieve didn’t last long, however. Haaland, inevitably, completed his hat-trick, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from Sergio Gomez’s low cross to make it 5-1.

With the City fans doing the Poznan – and the scoreboard echoing the Maine Road Massacre of 1989 – it was party time inside the Etihad.

Foden followed suit soon after, when he fired home from Haaland’s throughball to make it 6-1 to complete his hat-trick, before United substitute Anthony Martial scored a diving header from close range and a late penalty to add a veneer of respectability to the scoreline from a United perspective. 

A derby game that will never be forgotten. 

Teams

City

XI: Ederson, Walker (Gomez 41’), Akanji, Ake, Cancelo, Gundogan (Laporte 75’), De Bruyne (Alvarez 75’), Bernardo, Grealish (Palmer 75’), Foden (Mahrez 75’), Haaland

Unused subs: Ortega-Moreno, Carson, Dias, Lewis

United

XI: De Gea, Dalot, Martinez, Varane (Lindelof 40’), Malacia (Shaw 45’), McTominay, Fernandes, Eriksen, Antony, Sancho (Fred 70’), Rashford (Martial 59’)

Unused subs: Heaton, Ronaldo, Casemiro, Pellistri, Elanga 

WATCH: Short Highlights: City 6-3 United

Man of the match: Erling Haaland 

It’s now 17 goals in 11 Manchester City appearances for Erling Haaland, who continues to set English football alight. 

This was his third straight hat-trick in Premier League games at the Etihad, a quite remarkable record. 

But he doesn’t just provide goals. He works hard, makes runs that drag defenders out of position and brings a physicality to City’s attack that was perhaps previously lacking. His two assists are testament to his polished all-round game. 

A world-class striker in every sense. 

Guardiola reaction

“Yeah, it was really good. Everyone watched it.

“There are a few things we have to improve - in the process we are losing some easy balls and we have to improve that.

“The simple things we are not doing well. But six goals against United, who had come from four games winning, including Arsenal and Liverpool, is really good.”

Foden reaction

“It’s a dream come true, playing in the Derby being a City fan.

“Me and Erling [Haaland] are finding the connection now. It’s a pleasure.

“I feel like we clicked. Our determination from kick off was right at it and we finished our chances.”

Haaland reaction 

“Yeah, not bad! We scored six goals, what can you say? It’s amazing, to win at home and score six goals, yeah, it’s nice.”

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What it means

City have closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to a single point after eight games of the season.

Arsenal’s victory over Tottenham on Saturday had seen them move four clear – but City have hit back in style and are now three points ahead of third-placed Spurs.

Given City are yet to hit full throttle, it represents an excellent start on which the champions can build.

What’s next

Attention now turns to the UEFA Champions League, with City hosting FC Copenhagen on Wednesday evening. We have six points from six so far in Group G and a win on Wednesday would see us well placed to progress to the knock-out phase.

And then on Saturday we welcome Southampton to the Etihad Stadium as our Premier League campaign continues apace.

The games are arriving at a relentless pace and Guardiola will be making full use of his squad in the coming weeks to keep his players fresh.