Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City inflicted more pain on Manchester United with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford to close within two points of Premier League leaders Tottenham.
Haaland slotted home from the penalty spot midway through the first half and headed in a second just after halftime before setting up Phil Foden for City’s third.
City began the match outside the top four after an indifferent start to their title defence.
But Pep Guardiola’s men remain the favourites for an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title and showed they are a class apart from their local rivals as they moved up to third.
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A fifth defeat in 10 league games this season leaves United down in eighth, 11 points off the top.
United great Bobby Charlton was again remembered before kick-off as legends from both clubs that played with and against the 1966 World Cup winner were welcomed onto the pitch before a minute’s applause.
But hostilities were restored once the action got underway.
This was the real test of any renaissance by Erik ten Hag’s men and they were found wanting despite City taking 45 minutes to hit their stride.
Andre Onana’s penalty save with the last kick of the game to keep United’s Champions League challenge alive against Copenhagen in midweek could prove to be the turning point in the Cameroonian goalkeeper’s career at Old Trafford.
