Haaland brace secures Manchester derby win for City

Erling Haaland scored a fine brace as Manchester City grabbed a 3-0 win over cross-city rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

The result sees Pep Guardiola’s side move to third in the table, two behind league leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

City dominated the game from start to finish as they grabbed yet another win in the Manchester derby, continuing their recent dominance over the Red Devils.

United manager Eric ten Hag opted for Sofyan Amrabat in holding midfield as Casemiro was out injured. Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, and Bruno Fernandes played just behind Rasmus Hojlund, who led the line up-front.

City started with a 4-2-3-1 setup with Erling Haaland as the lone striker, while Jack Grealish and Phil Foden played on the wings. Argentine World Cup winner Julian Alvarez pulled the strings in the number ten role.  

City dominate from the start

The visitors started the game on the front foot playing with their envious passing range as United hardly got any possession to their name.

City should have opened the scoring in the 8^th minute when United keeper Andre Onana parried away Rodri’s header unconvincingly, but Haaland inexplicably failed to convert the rebound from point-blank range as Harry Maguire cleared the ball off the line.

Onana then made a fine save in the 20^th minute as he cleared away Grealish’s deflected right-footed effort.

Manchester City were awarded a penalty in the 24^th minute after referee Paul Tierney consulted the video assistant referee (VAR) to point to the spot.

Replays suggested that Hojlund needlessly obstructed and pulled Rodri down in the box from Alvarez’s free-kick. Haaland stepped up and made no mistake to give Guardiola’s side the lead.

Hojlund almost atoned for his mistake just minutes later when he ran through on goal to beat Ederson in the penalty box, but the Danish striker failed to apply the final touches as the City defense recovered in time.

Deep in stoppage time of the first half, both goalkeepers at either end made world-class saves. First Ederson stopped United from restoring parity from McTominay’s thumping effort before Onana kept the score at 1-0 with a brilliant diving save to keep out Haaland’s header from point-blank range.

Haaland extends lead early in the second half

The Norwegian striker however made no mistake right after halftime when he made it 2-0 from a similar position in the back post as he headed home from Bernardo Silva’s left-wing floated cross.

The Red Devils hardly improved after the break, and they uncharacteristically failed to garner any sort of momentum with their wayward passing.

Right at the hour mark, Grealish came close to making it 3-0 following a wonderful City interplay but the English winger put his effort just wide from inside the box.

Rashford, however, should have halved the deficit in the 70^th minute but the United striker dragged his shot wide following a wonderful cross-field ball from Eriksen. Just two minutes later,

Onana once again made a brilliant save one-on-one from Haaland’s dinked effort that kept the score at 2-0.

City put the game beyond United when Foden tapped into an empty net in the 80^th minute as Onana parried away Rodri’s strike but Haaland reacted quickest to slide across the ball to the goal scorer.

United will be thoroughly disappointed with the performances as they were outclassed at home.

They will, however look to bounce back when they travel to London to face Fulham next weekend before a trip to Newcastle United in midweek in the Carabao Cup. City, meanwhile, will look to keep their momentum going as they Bournemouth.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Sportimage