Manchester City bounced back from their shaky start to the season in emphatic fashion with a dominant 3-0 win over arch-rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. It was a statement performance that not only gave the Cityzens their first victory of the campaign but also reminded the Premier League of their firepower, led by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
City had struggled for rhythm in recent weeks, but against United, Pep Guardiola’s men looked like the champions of old. Haaland and Foden, supported brilliantly by Jeremy Doku, ripped through the visitors’ defense with power, precision, and composure.
The result leaves United searching for answers under Ruben Amorim, who has already come under scrutiny for his side’s poor performances in recent matches.
Haaland and Foden lead the demolition
The game started evenly, with both sides trading possession in midfield and looking for an early breakthrough. But City soon grew into the contest, asserting dominance with their crisp passing and direct movement. Jeremy Doku, whose dribbling ability troubled United throughout the first half, created the opener.
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The Belgian beat his marker on the edge of the box and delivered a perfect cross to Phil Foden, who made no mistake with a well-placed header to put City 1-0 up.
The second half belonged to Erling Haaland. Doku again played a decisive role, linking with Foden before slipping a pass to the Norwegian. As expected, Haaland buried the chance with a clinical finish to double City’s lead.
Moments later, he struck again, this time latching onto a through ball and beating United’s goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation. That goal sealed the points and underlined his reputation as the Premier League’s most lethal striker.
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Haaland was denied a hat-trick by the post late in the game, but his two goals and tireless work rate were more than enough to put the contest beyond United.
Player Rating Manchester City against Man United
The match wasn’t just about the goalscorers. Several City players produced strong performances that contributed to the clean sheet and commanding win. The players put on impressive performance that the team was known for in the past. The resilience, the determination and fighting spirits among the players were crucial to getting a well-deserved victory against the Red Devils.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (7.5): He made crucial saves to keep United at bay. He unimaginably saved Bryan Mbeumo’s efforts that could have brought the Red Devils back into the game. Overall, he had a good debut in the Premier League, although his distribution will need improvement.
Abdukodir Khusanov (7.5): He was played out of position at right-back. Pep Guardiola has used many players as right-back in recent games; however, Khusanov did an amazing job. He impressed with solid tackling and pace in defensive duels.
Ruben Dias (6.6): He showed leadership at the back. He led the backline perfectly and made sure they avoid unnecessary errors. The Portugal international once again showed why he is indispensable at City.
Josko Gvardiol (6.3): Although he was used as left-back for most parts of last season. Today, he partnered with Dias effectively at the center to neutralize United’s attack. He also made some good clearance in the process.
Nico O’Reilly (7.2): Despite his young age and being inexperienced, the City academy graduate did an excellent job nullifying Bryan Mbeumo while also contributing in attack. He was undoubtedly one of the City best players on the pitch.
Rodri (6.5): The City engine room did not have a good game as expected. He endured a shaky start largely due to fitness issues. He wasn’t at his usual best but grew into the game and regained control in midfield, helping dictate the tempo.
Bernardo Silva (7.5): The City captain put in another tireless shift and capped it with an assist. He mostly operated in the right wing which gave Phil Foden the opportunity to operate at the middle.
Tijjani Reijnders (6.7): He combined well in midfield and nearly found the net himself. He would, however, hope to do better in the next match and replicate the performances he had on his Premier League debut which earned him City player of the month for August.
Doku (8.0): The Belgian was simply unplayable at times, tormenting defenders and providing two assists. His dribbling skills were too much for United’s defense line to contain. They simply had no answer to his tactics and they paid for it.
Foden (7.8): He orchestrated play brilliantly, scoring with a superb header and constantly exploiting space. We may witness the superb Phil Foden we were used to before the 2024/25 season.
Erling Haaland (9.1): Without a doubt, he was the standout player during the match. He scored twice, worked tirelessly off the ball, and nearly completing a hat-trick.
SUB
Nico González (6.8): He came on for Rodri when the City were three goals up. He made some necessary tackles.
Nathan Ake (Not Rated)
Oscar Bobb (Not Rated)
Savinho (Not Rated)
