-
Manchester City comeback vs. United exposed chasm in class between rivals.
The Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium certainly lived up to expectations, with both teams delivering thrilling performances. Marcus Rashford’s stunning opener for Manchester United set the tone early on, but Phil Foden’s brilliant brace turned the tide in Manchester City’s favor.
Foden’s first goal, a rising effort from 25 yards out, drew City level after Rashford’s strike. The hosts continued to dominate, and Foden sealed the victory with another inspired goal, calmly finishing after a one-two exchange.
Erling Haaland added to United’s woes with a late goal in stoppage time, redeeming himself for an earlier miss. Despite United’s early lead, City’s relentless pressure and clinical finishing secured them a crucial 3-1 comeback win.
With an overall record of 13-5, City has now won three consecutive home league derbies, its longest winning streak since 1955. Foden has scored five goals after recording a hat trick in his match from the last season.
With this victory, Manchester City closes the gap to leaders Liverpool to just one point, setting the stage for an intense title race. Meanwhile, Manchester United remains in sixth place, facing an 11-point deficit to fourth-placed Aston Villa.
City now turns their focus to the UEFA Champions League, while United prepares for their upcoming clash against Everton.
Ten Hag insisted afterward that the game was closer than it had appeared, but even the staunchest United fan would have struggled to swallow his assessment after another derby disappointment.
“No, I don’t think [the result shows a big gap between the teams], absolutely not,” Ten Hag said postmatch. “You can see we have many problems with injuries and still we had an opportunity [to win].
“Really small margins. We could have scored the second goal in a debatable moment. It’s not that big [of a gap] and when we have everyone on board we can be competitive. I think also we showed in the cup final against them [last season] when it was really close but City is, at this moment, the best team in the world. Don’t forget this.”