Manchester (GNP): Manchester City claimed a controversial derby win over Manchester United on Sunday, holding out for more than 70 minutes with ten men before Erling Haaland’s second-half strike settled the contest. The victory extended City’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season under new manager Enzo Maresca and lifted them level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table.
The match turned early when City midfielder Phil Foden was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes, reducing City to ten men for the majority of the contest.
The dismissal came moments after Fernandes appeared to kick Foden while he was on the ground, though the United captain avoided a booking for the incident. Foden’s sending-off made him only the second City player to be dismissed in a Premier League Manchester derby, following Bernardo Corradi in December 2006.
United responded to their numerical advantage with a period of sustained pressure, striking the woodwork twice before City found a way through. Marcus Rashford’s dipping free-kick hit the post in first-half stoppage time, and Kobbie Mainoo’s curling effort from range struck the post again early in the second half before rebounding off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and away to safety. Despite this dominance, United were unable to convert their pressure into a goal.
Against the run of play, City broke the deadlock in the 60th minute when Haaland tapped in Josko Gvardiol’s low, deflected cross at the back post. The goal was initially flagged for offside, prompting a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) review that ultimately confirmed Haaland was played onside by Patrick Dorgu.
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The review also examined whether Enzo Fernandez, who was in an offside position as he stretched to connect with the cross before it reached Haaland, had interfered with play, with officials ruling that he had not affected the goalkeeper’s ability to deal with the ball.
United pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, with Fernandes setting up Bryan Mbeumo for a sharp effort in the area that goalkeeper Donnarumma palmed behind.
Beyond that chance, United struggled to create clear opportunities against ten men once City had taken the lead, extending a difficult start to the season in which they have won only one league match and conceded in every fixture so far. The defeat left United thirteenth in the table, marking their third loss in four league outings, while City’s resilience under pressure underlined their growing credentials as early-season title contenders.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
