Manchester – Manchester City have maintained their dominance in the city after defeating Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, continuing their perfect start to the new season.
Despite being reduced to 10 players after Phil Foden was sent off, City showed strong defensive discipline and secured a hard-fought victory. The result moved City into second place in the Premier League on goal difference, level with leaders Arsenal, while keeping their 100% start to the new campaign intact.
The victory also gave new City manager Enzo Maresca an early statement win over Michael Carrick’s Manchester United.
City Respond After Foden’s Red Card
The match changed midway through the first half when Foden was shown a red card after a challenge on Bruno Fernandes. Although the contact appeared limited, Foden was punished for losing his composure, leaving City with 10 men for the final 67 minutes.
Maresca immediately reorganized his team into a compact 4-4-1 formation, closing down the central areas and forcing United to attack from the flanks.
United enjoyed more possession but struggled to turn that advantage into clear chances. City packed their penalty area and dealt comfortably with United’s crosses.
Maresca also introduced Iliman Ndiaye for Ryan Cherki in the second half. Ndiaye’s energy helped strengthen City defensively while also providing an additional attacking threat alongside Erling Haaland.
Haaland Delivers the Winner
City eventually took the lead in the 60th minute.
Josko Gvardiol delivered a cross toward the far post, where Erling Haaland arrived to finish and put City 1–0 ahead.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR intervened and recommended that referee Michael Oliver review the decision. The goal was subsequently allowed to stand.
The decision sparked controversy, with United manager Carrick reportedly describing it as “shocking,” while Lisandro Martinez called the decision unfair.
However, the controversy could not hide United’s lack of attacking quality.
United Struggle Against 10-Man City
United had a numerical advantage for most of the second half but failed to make it count.
Kobbie Mainoo hit the post, while Marcus Rashford also struck the woodwork with a free-kick. Despite playing against 10 men, United managed only two shots on target.
Their best chance came in stoppage time when Bruno Fernandes found Bryan Mbeumo with a well-weighted pass. However, Mbeumo’s effort was saved by City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who turned the ball behind for a corner.
United's performance was criticized for being slow, predictable and lacking direction, while City displayed greater organization, determination and defensive discipline.
City Show Strong Team Character
Haaland praised City's mentality after the victory, particularly their ability to maintain control and fight for the result despite being reduced to 10 players.
City's players repeatedly pressed after losing possession and showed a willingness to defend as a unit.
The result demonstrated that the team has retained the competitive character needed to challenge for major trophies, even after significant changes to the squad and coaching staff.
Maresca Makes Strong Start
Maresca has enjoyed an impressive start to his tenure at City. The club have won all five of their matches in all competitions this season.
City also provided significant backing in the summer transfer window, spending a reported £456 million on new players.
Among the major additions were Enzo Fernandez, Iliman Ndiaye, Elliott Anderson and Ayoub Bouaddi.
United, meanwhile, have struggled to match City's squad-building efforts. Despite bringing in players including Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba and Andre Santos, the team remains short in several key areas.
After just four league matches, United are already eight points behind City.
The Old Trafford defeat suggests that the balance of power in Manchester has not shifted. Despite Guardiola's departure after a decade at City, the club remain the dominant force in the city.
