- Man City secured a 3-1 victory over Man United in Sunday’s derby.
- Man Utd claimed the lead with a spectacular wonder strike from Marcus Rashford.
- Foden scored twice in the second half, securing a brace, before Erling Haaland found the net late in the match.
In a stunning turnaround, Manchester City overcame an initial deficit to defeat Manchester United 3-1 in the derby at the Etihad, thanks to a brilliant performance by Phil Foden.
Despite dominating the first half, the home side entered the break trailing by one goal, with Marcus Rashford’s exceptional piledriver giving Man Utd the lead after just eight minutes.
Nevertheless, Foden delivered a spectacular goal to equalize and later completed his brace with ten minutes to spare, securing a lead that proved insurmountable for United. Erling Haaland sealed the deal with a late strike, earning crucial three points for Man City and keeping them in contention with Liverpool ahead of next week’s showdown.
How the game unfolded
Despite the hosts making a quick start, it was Man Utd who took an early lead against the run of play at the Etihad. Bruno Fernandes received a long ball from goalkeeper Andre Onana, setting up Rashford to score with a sensational strike from 25 yards that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way in.
Rashford’s powerful shot caused a bit of unease for the reigning champions, but Foden responded swiftly, testing Onana with a low drive that the goalkeeper repelled with his feet. The Man City forward had a golden opportunity to equalize moments later when released by Kevin De Bruyne, but his strike couldn’t beat the Man Utd goalkeeper.
The Cameroonian international was once again sharp, turning a teasing Rodri effort past the post. However, it was Erling Haaland’s surprising wastefulness on the stroke of half-time that proved most costly for Pep Guardiola’s side. Foden’s header set up the Norwegian with an open goal four yards out, but the prolific Man City forward, who scored five midweek against Luton Town, inexplicably sent the simplest of chances over the crossbar.
Given the Cityzens’ proficiency in overturning deficits, it came as little surprise when they leveled the score just ten minutes into the second half. Foden was the one who secured the equalizer for the hosts, mirroring Rashford’s first-half brilliance by unleashing a beauty of his own. He hammered a fierce thunderbolt from outside the penalty area past Onana.
Man City persisted in their efforts to complete the comeback, and it was Foden who ultimately secured a well-deserved winner for the champions. The attacking dynamo engaged in a one-two with Julian Alvarez, firing a low effort beyond the outstretched glove of Onana, sealing victory on derby day for the hosts.
Despite a glaring miss earlier in the match, Haaland redeemed himself by finding the scoresheet in stoppage time. He capitalized on a Sofyan Amrabat error, curling in a third goal to put the icing on the cake for Man City.
With this result, Man City narrows the gap to just one point behind league leaders Liverpool, who secured a late win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
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Man City player ratings
GK: Ederson – 6/10 – Helpless for Rashford’s incredible strike and had little else to contend with.
CB: Kyle Walker – 7/10 – Utilized his rapid pace to thwart a threatening Rashford counter-attack in the first half, frequently cleaning up for City.
CB: Ruben Dias – 7/10 – Effectively led the Man City backline, extinguishing United’s half-chances on the break.
CB: Nathan Ake – 7/10 – Encountered some difficulties in the early stages but grew into the game.
DM: Rodri – 8/10 – Typically composed in central areas, maintaining City’s rhythm deep in United territory.
DM: John Stones – 7/10 – Spent most of the match in midfield despite occasionally dropping into center-back, contributing to City’s swift ball recovery.
RM: Bernardo Silva – 7/10 – Precise and tidy from the Portuguese, even if he was on the periphery at times.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne – 6/10 – A bit off the pace with uncharacteristic sloppiness in the final third.
CM: Phil Foden – 9/10 – The 23-year-old continues to shine in crucial moments this season. A stunning goal brought City back, and he sealed the win with a well-taken finish.
LM: Jeremy Doku – 5/10 – Seemed on the verge of creating opportunities but lacked end product, well-handled by Diogo Dalot.
ST: Erling Haaland – 7/10 – Missed a clear chance but redeemed himself with a calm finish late in the game.
Man United player ratings
GK: Andre Onana – 7/10 – Made important saves and employed effective tactics for the visitors. Could have been stronger for Foden’s second.
RB: Diogo Dalot – 7/10 – Held his own against Doku and avoided diving into tackles against the Belgian.
CB: Raphael Varane – 6/10 – Matched Haaland for the most part, using his experience to command the United penalty area. Ran out of steam towards the end.
CB: Jonny Evans – 7/10 – Entered the action to help contain the formidable Haaland and performed remarkably well against the Norwegian before being substituted.
LB: Victor Lindelof – 6/10 – A better outing compared to the previous weekend. Could have closed down Foden more effectively before his goal.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo – 7/10 – Impressive debut in the Manchester derby, consistently breaking up play in central areas.
CM: Casemiro – 7/10 – Showed composure in a deep-lying role, with United’s defensive line providing protection. However, was turned easily for Foden’s second.
RM: Bruno Fernandes – 6/10 – Assisted Rashford’s opener and was committed defensively.
AM: Scott McTominay – 5/10 – Limited in making attacking runs, spending more time defending in his own final third.
LM: Alejandro Garnacho – 5/10 – A quiet performance with limited freedom to move forward.
ST: Marcus Rashford – 7/10 – Produced a stunning strike for the opener but struggled to hold the ball in the Man City half.
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