It was one of those rare nights when individual brilliance and the clarity of the game plan came together in a perfect storm. Manchester City won the derby 3:0 and left no doubt about who are stronger right now. "United" started briskly and even dominated possession, but every surge from the Citizens sliced through Amorim’s back line like a knife. And while skepticism surrounded Guardiola’s side early in the autumn, this victory sounded like a resounding answer.
Lineup Surprises and the Game Plan
The table looked unusual before kick-off: "City" were below "United" — Pep in 16th, the rivals in 11th. Rúben Amorim barely touched the winning XI after Burnley, handing a start to Benjamin Šeško. Guardiola, though, surprised immediately: new signing Gianluigi Donnarumma debuted in goal, and Phil Foden started for the first time in the 2025/26 Premier League season.
By design, "City" ceded the initiative but took the one thing that mattered — the space behind "United"’s midfield line. Doku stretched the block wide, Haaland constantly threatened with runs in behind, and Foden occupied the half-spaces, arriving as the second wave.
The First Blow: Doku Shreds the Flank, Foden Reminds Everyone
In the 18th minute, Jérémy Doku embarked on a solo run, beat his man one-on-one and floated a cross to the far post — Phil Foden headed it home. For him, that is a rare headed finish by his career standards and his first league goal since January. Symbolically, the 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Season has been going through a rough spell, but the derby is where his sharpness returned.
Haaland Switches to Predator Mode
After the break, "City" finished off their opponents in a matter of minutes. First, Doku snapped a piercing pass between the lines — Erling Haaland outpaced Luke Shaw and deftly lifted the ball over Altay Bayindir. Almost immediately the Norwegian could have had a brace when Doku intercepted during "United"’s build-up and gifted the striker an open goal, but the ball skipped away from his foot.
Haaland corrected the miss himself: Bernardo Silva read a pass in his own half and instantly launched a vertical attack — and Erling, hitting blistering speed, left the defenders behind and finished with no chance for the keeper. A derby brace, the lead in the scoring race, and a flawless September: he has scored in every match of the autumn so far.
Why "United" Fell Apart in the Final Third
Amorim’s side have a familiar balance issue. In the first quarter of an hour "United" really pressed: they broke the initial press, found the free zones between the full-backs and the centre-backs, and quickly shifted play into the last third. But in the final third everything broke down: too many touches, rushed decisions, an inaccurate final ball.
Pinned in the middle, Bruno Fernandes often received the ball in dangerous corridors, but those possessions did not turn into chances. Manuel Ugarte added nerves with losses near his own box. Whenever "City" raised the intensity of their press, "United" crumbled defensively — especially on rapid switches after turnovers.
Numbers and Takeaways: Possession Doesn’t Equal Control
- "City" trailed in possession (around 45%) but completely controlled chance quality through transition phases and second-wave attacks.
- Phil Foden ended his league goal drought — an important psychological jolt for the attack leader.
- Haaland has had a prolific month and now leads the Premier League scoring race — the derby brace only underlined his form.
- For "City" this is the first win in three matchweeks after defeats to Tottenham (0:2) and Brighton (1:2) — the team are finding the right rhythm.
A Wave of Criticism Engulfs Amorim
Losing 0:3 to a team that had looked vulnerable in recent rounds is an alarming marker. Amorim’s structure is good on paper: a well-designed press-resistance plan, bold back-five structures in the build-up, and active use of the half-spaces. But once the opponent imposes tempo and takes away space, "United" lose their composure near their own goal and their imagination near the opposition’s. Public doubts about the coach are growing: the attack have four goals in four rounds despite summer spending of over two hundred million, and the central axis still needs strengthening.
Yes, "United" had good spells — the start of the match and the first minutes after half-time. But in the decisive episodes the class of "City"’s players proved higher: Doku unbalanced defenders one-on-one, Foden made the right choices, Haaland converted his speed advantage into goals.
The Table and the Tests Ahead
The derby result shifted the standings: "United" drop to 14th, "City" climb to eighth. Next comes a series of character checks. Amorim’s team host Chelsea; another defeat will inevitably fuel talk about the manager’s future. "City" travel to Arsenal — a billing with a potential shootout between Haaland and Viktor Gyökeres already looks like the match of the week.
In parallel, the Champions League kicks off: "City" open their campaign against Napoli. If they come through it smoothly, the schedule up to November promises a steadier stretch without constant clashes with the giants. "United" have Liverpool on the horizon — the classic nerve of English football; they need to approach it with clear answers on final-third efficiency and discipline when defending their own box.
The derby highlighted the fundamental difference between the teams at this stage: "City" can live without total possession while controlling space and chance quality, whereas "United" still have not connected neat midfield patterns to concrete outcomes in front of goal. In Manchester they call it simply: maturity versus searching for oneself. And the 3:0 scoreline only underlines the size of the gap.
