Manchester City easily won the 197th Manchester derby. Erling Haaland shined with a double, contributing greatly to Pep Guardiola's team's 3-0 defeat of Manchester United at the Etihad.
In the 20th second, Haaland almost opened the scoring, but Man United stood firm to regain their spirit. However, the balance did not last long. In the 18th minute, Jeremy Doku had an explosive dribble, penetrating the penalty area before crossing accurately for Phil Foden to head the ball to open the score.
After the break, Foden and Doku continued to leave their mark when they both contributed to Haaland's double goal.
New signing Gianluigi Donnarumma of Man City, who joined from Paris St-Germain on the last day of the transfer window, had a miraculous moment when blocking Bryan Mbeumo's dangerous volley. But that was just a rare bright spot for Man United.
In the 69th minute, Harry Maguire made a mistake when he lost the ball to Bernardo Silva in midfield. The Portuguese midfielder quickly assisted Haaland to complete his double, sealing a 3-0 victory for Man City.
Foden's necessary return
Most of the Citizens' problems last season were attributed to Rodri's absence, but Foden's decline in form also played a key role. The English midfielder was named Premier League player of the 2023-2024 season, scoring 19 goals in the tournament and 27 goals in all competitions. However, last season, his achievements decreased sharply, scoring only 7 goals in tournaments and 13 goals in all competitions.
Foden's decision not to participate in international matches with the England team in June to rest is a notable highlight. At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the US, he shared that this holiday has brought benefits, while creating "a new season, a new person".
Although it took some time to get into the rhythm, Foden's performance in the Manchester derby could be a stepping stone for the rest of the season. He was present at the right time in the penalty area to open the scoring with a delicate header and played a key role in the second goal.
Continuous changes at the Etihad over the past year have given the feeling that the team is in a transitional period. However, Foden is still one of the rare consistent players. If he regains his form from 2 years ago, Man City could become a team with a completely different prospect.
Donnarumma's class
Before the Manchester derby, the debate focused on the goalkeeper position and the important decisions of both clubs on the last day of the transfer window.
Man United have ignored the Emiliano Martinez deal from Aston Villa and instead signed a contract with Belgian young goalkeeper Senne Lammens. They then loaned Andre Onana to Trabzonspor.
Meanwhile, Man City has completed the recruitment of Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG - a goalkeeper considered by many experts to be the best in the world.
Amorim has decided to choose Altay Bayindir - a regular goalkeeper - instead of Lammens in goal. Although the former Fenerbahce goalkeeper did not directly make any mistakes in Man United's goals conceded, he did not make any saves to create confidence for the team.
In contrast, Donnarumma on Man City's side made a world-class save to block Mbeumo's volley in the second half. Goalkeeper quality is a vital factor, and The Citizens have proven the value of recruiting a top goalkeeper through Donnarumma's excellent performance.
Haaland's goal-scoring instinct
Guardiola quickly spoke out in support of Haaland at a pre-match press conference, after Liverpool manager Arne Slot commented that Alexander Isak "could be the best striker in the world". According to the Spanish coach, Haaland is "a little higher".
While Isak had to wait for his Liverpool debut after being left out of the squad in the 1-0 win over Burnley, Haaland took the opportunity to prove his class.
He scored 5 goals in Norway's 11-1 victory over Moldova in the international series. Returning to Man City, Haaland continued to show his danger with a delicate opening goal after a pass from Doku.
Haaland also showed his acumen in the second goal, accelerating from midfield and finishing accurately. This is a situation that few players can successfully complete.
While the first weeks of the season saw many debates surrounding Viktor Gyokeres, Isak and Benjamin Sesko, Haaland quietly scored five goals in the league, far surpassing any other player. That is proof of his excellent form in the new season.
