Five Things Learned: Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City (Premier League)

Manchester City ammended their aggrievances of last season with an emphatic 3-0 victory away to their bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

The highly anticipated Manchester derby made pleasant viewing for the blue half of the city, as they were ruthlessly triumphant over local rivals Manchester United, sealing the deal in extraordinary fashion.

It was a very typical opening to the game, with City putting on a show of possesional dominance, swamping the home side in their own half in an attempt to force a breakthrough early on.

City carved out the first chance of the game, as Kyle Walker found Phil Foden with a cross, as Foden glanced the ball towards Andre Onana, who thwarted the effort unconcentionally almost into the path of an onrushing Erling Haaland, before Harry Maguire managed to clear the effort off the goal line.

Shortly afterwards, it was City who were branded with a golden opportunity, as Rasmus Hojlund brought Rodrigo down in the penalty area to give the away side a penalty after 25 minutes.

Erling Haaland stepped up to the spot, and inevitably found the bottom corner, silencing the bitter home crowd in typical fashion, giving City a priceless lead inside the first half.

Tensions began to flare following the City goal, as Phil Foden and Sofyan Amrabat endued in a bout over nothing, but that was all for the first 45 minutes of City dominance.

As the second-half commenced, City found their flow, getting in their stride with Jack Grealish down the left, who played in the overlapping Bernardo Silva, before the Portuguese star deftly lifted the ball to the back stick where an unmarked Haaland would double the City lead.

The Blues really began to put on a show now, as the treble-winners ultimately demoralised their opposition, moving the ball from side-to-side in a free-flowing piece of football poetry.

And it wouldn’t take long before the away side made their dominance count, when who else but Haaland found himself free in the area once again, before this time teeing up the incoming Phil Foden, who tapped into an empty net, making it 3-0 to the visitors.

It was a full-time result which reflected the game, with City humiliating United on their own patch, not for the first time in the Pep Guardiola era. With that being said, here are five things we learned from the emphatic 3-0 victory on Sunday!

A bolt from the boyhood Blues

Every Manchester City fan dreams of scoring for their club growing up, and it was a dream relived for the second time for Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, who both found the net on Sunday once again.

The boyhood City fans have been instrumental to the success of the Champions in the last couple of seasons, and their recent goals against United will taste that much sweeter, with the sentiment matching the dominance in the derby victory.

Combining for the third goal, Haaland gleefully allowed Phil Foden to take centre stage with celebration, as Manchester City players rushed to the away crowd and celebrated in front of the ever incredible travelling City fans.

Make way… @PhilFoden coming through! 🥹💙 @ErlingHaaland pic.twitter.com/oc1kKsJztb

— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) October 29, 2023

Bernardo Silva, we want you to stay

Provider of City’s second, it was a man of the match display from Bernardo Silva, who ultimately ran proceedings on Sunday, with another phenomenal outing at Old Trafford from the Portuguese star man.

It was no wonder teammate Erling Haaland and manager Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Silva following his spectacular display, with Guardiola even saying “he is one of the best players I have ever seen in my life.”

After signing a new contract this summer, Silva looks set to stay at the club, which is a huge positive for Pep Guardiola, with Silva once again showing how imperative he is to this free-flowing Manchester City side on Sunday.

Some era’s just stay the same

Upon arriving at Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag was asked how he intends to overthrow the dominant hierarchy of Manchester City and Liverpool, to which the Dutchman famously responded “era’s must come to an end.”

After completing the treble last season and sitting nine points clear of United, it’s evident that the period of dominance from City is far from over, with Sunday’s result a ruthless reality check for the United manager.

A season defining resurgence

After enduring a slight wobble in their season with three consecutive domestic defeats, it appears the Champions have steered themselves back on track, with the return of Rodrigo a pivotal factor in their reamendment.

Attempting to achieve an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premer League title, City will have real belief they can achieve their quest following their demolition of United on Sunday.

As the Sky Blues appear to be back on track, it will take some stopping to overthrow the current reigning Premier League champions from their porch, as City look to kick on and extend their decade-long domestic dominance.

Manchester is BLUE!

The destruction of United on Sunday was a mere reminder of the common knowledge of the modern day, which is that the City of Manchester is well and truly owned by the blue half.

Earning a fifth Premier League trophy in their last six attempts in May 2023, City have made a mockery of English football over the last decade, a period which won’t frustrate anyone as much as local rivals Manchester United.

After being brandished nothing more than “noisy neighbours”, City have mimicked that reputation and developed from a small local rival of United, into a footballing powerhouse institution, as the City fans who endured mockery from friends and family can now sit back peacefully knowing their club has well and truly painted the city blue.