Manchester City kept the pressure on Liverpool in the Premier League title race by closing the gap on the league leaders to just one point after coming from behind to defeat city rivals Manchester United by 3-1 on Sunday.
It was a game from start to finish that featured two stunning goals, with Marcus Rashford putting the visitors ahead with a thunderous shot from around 22 yards for his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.
United resisted City’s attacks in the first half, with Erling Haaland coming agonizingly close to an equaliser, converting a chance from meters over the bar. Despite this, Pep Guardiola’s side eventually pulled a goal back, with Phil Foden firing a sensational long-range shot into the top left corner of the goal after the break.
Foden then doubled his tally again in the 80th minute to give the hosts a 2-1 lead, before Erling Haaland scored his 18th Premier League goal of the season to move two goals clear of Ollie Watkins in the top of the league’s top scorers table.
Mail Sport’s Jack Gaughan and Chris Wheeler provide their player ratings for Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Manchester City kept the pressure on Liverpool and moved to within one point of the Premier League leaders on Sunday after beating Manchester United 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden (right) scored twice, while Erling Haaland (left) scored in injury time to help seal the comeback for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Erik ten Hag’s side suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Premier League after losing 2-1 to Fulham last week.
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Ederson – 7
Nothing more to save than Marcus Rashford’s unstoppable shot. Crucial intervention as United broke late.
Kyle Walker – 7
His pace contributed to a couple of big moments defensively. He occasionally loses the ball when he advances.
Ruben Dias – 7
Some tricky moments in which United went long. He calmed down as the game went on. He moved into midfield very well.
Nathan Ake – 7
Smart moments to get away from problems. Marginally, Bruno Fernandes played on the side for the first match.
Kyle Walker passed his defensive tests impressively and contributed well to the attacks.
John Stones put in an excellent performance similar to his performance in the 2023 Champions League final.
Juan Piedras – 7
Real midfielder instead of a hybrid.
Seda on the ball in the same way as in last year’s Champions League final.
Rodri – 8.5
Key to the last goal. Some brilliant projection during the match – a difficult task given United’s first route counter-attacking strategy.
Phil Foden – 9
Constantly the brightest spark for champions. He won the game for them. England’s most exciting player.
Kevin De Bruyne – 7.5
A slightly rushed game on a day when City knew they had to win. Still, he moved City forward with real purpose.
Bernard Silva – 8
Important role in City’s slowdown after the break. Everywhere: he ended up playing in three different positions.
Rodri (left) produced a brilliant throw during the match, a difficult task given United’s route one counter-attacking approach.
Foden scored his second goal of the game with a precise cross shot into the bottom corner.
Jeremy Doku – 5
Another disappointing afternoon for the winger, who is struggling to live up to his performances from earlier in the season.
Erling Haaland – 7
Contender for Miss of the Season just before half-time, but then concluded the match in stoppage time.
Substitutes
Julián Álvarez (by Doku, 59) – 7
Oscar Bobb (by Foden, 90) – N/A
Manager
pep guardiola – 7
You’ll be upset that your team conceded first at half-time, but you’ll love how your team fought back into the game. Álvarez came on for Doku just before the hour mark, who produced the assist for Foden’s second.
Erling Haaland missed a great opportunity early in the match before scoring at the end of added time.
Jeremy Doku (right) struggled to live up to his early season form during the match.
André Onana – 6.5
He denied Foden a one-on-one in the first half and made excellent reflex saves to deny Rodri and Doku as well. He cannot be blamed for any of the goals.
Diogo Dalot – 6
He had his hands full with Doku for an hour and kept him relatively calm before switching to left back, where he struggled.
Rafael Varane – 6.5
He led the defensive effort and managed to contain Haaland until injury time.
Andre Onana denied Foden a one-on-one in the first half and made some good reflex saves to deny Rodri and Doku as well.
Victor Lindelof started at left back but had a tough afternoon and was United’s weak link
Johnny Evans – 6
Age and a slight knock were against him, but he used his experience to help United try to withstand almost continuous pressure.
Victor Lindelof – 5
Playing against the Swede at left back was always Utd’s weak link and this was demonstrated when he couldn’t get close enough to Foden to score the equaliser.
Scott McTominay – 5
He played as an extra midfielder to try to give more protection to the back four. It worked for a while, but United were fighting a losing battle.
casemiro – 6.5
So deep that he sometimes occupied the third center position. He made some important blocks but almost gave Haaland a goal with a bad header.
Scott McTominay played as an extra midfielder, protecting the back four, but his sweeper role became ineffective after a while.
Casemiro made some important blocks but almost gave Haaland the goal with a bad header
Kobbie Mainoo – 6
Another United man who stood in the way of everything City had to offer.
He left before Foden’s decisive second goal.
Mark Rashford – 6.5
He opened the scoring with a stunning goal, but then missed a couple of chances and faded long before he was gone.
Bruno Fernandez – 7
He played as a false nine and did well to set up the goal for Rashford.
There was no lack of effort but it was all in vain.
Alejandro Garnacho – 5
With United on the back foot, this was never going to be his type of game and he struggled to get into it.
Substitutes
Amrabat (for Mainoo 82) – 4.5
Antonio (by Rashford 75) – 5
Kambwala (for Evans 60) – 5.5
Bruno Fernandes played as a false nine and did well to set up Rashford’s goal.
Alejandro Garnacho struggled to get into the game, especially with Man United on the back foot.
Rashford struggled to make a sustained impact on the game despite his astonishing first goal.
Manager
ten witches – 6
He said he wanted to overload the midfield and cause “a bit of confusion”. It worked for a while, but the gulf between these two teams is too big.