Manchester City 6-3 Manchester United: 5 talking points from riveting derby as Sky Blues thrash Red Devils once more | Premier League 2022-23
Manchester City beat Manchester United 6-3 at the Etihad in the Premier League to script a historic derby result on Sunday (October 2).
Hat-tricks from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden got the job done for the Sky Blues in their 187th encounter across competitions against the Red Devils. It was City's third consecutive win in the fixture following their 2-0 and 4-1 league victories last season.
A goal from Antony followed by a late brace from Anthony Martial helped salvage some pride for Erik ten Hag's wounded troops. However, the visitors left the Etihad Stadium with plenty to ponder over.
Earlier, Haaland and Foden struck twice each in the first half to give the reigning champions a comfortable 4-0 lead at the break. The duo linked up together expertly with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings from midfield.
Antony pulled one back for the visitors early into the second period with a stunning effort before Haaland brought up his third top-flight hat-trick for City.
Foden soon joined the party with a treble of his own, scoring from Haaland's assist. Just as United were heading for another 6-1 derby defeat more than a decade after the first, Martial came off the bench to score twice in the closing stages.
Manchester City were left with a bitter-sweet taste in the end as their defense was opened up on a couple of occasions, but it was still a big win. This was also the Manchester derby with the most number of goals ever as the two teams shared nine strikes.
Here are five key talking points from a crazy Premier League encounter:
#5 A Manchester derby for the ages
How many times have nine goals been scored in a Manchester derby prior to this weekend? Answer: None! This was a first in this historic rivalry as Manchester City and Manchester United delivered a contest for the ages on Sunday.
The Sky Blues were obviously the better team, racing to a 4-0 lead inside the opening stanza and then holding a 6-1 lead at one point. But the Red Devils didn't entirely submit to the hosts and pulled two more goals back late on.
8 - Manchester City 6-2 Manchester United is now the highest-scoring ever Manchester derby in any competition, with today the two sides' 187th competitive meeting. Feast.
All three of United's goals came during a period when the hosts appeared to have taken their foot off the gas. Ten Hag's side deserve credit for their fighting spirit but undeniably have a long way to go before they get into a position akin to their neighbors.
As for City, this was their third consecutive win in the derby, and undoubtedly among their most memorable too.
#4 Phil Foden gets his first Manchester City hat-trick in pulsating fixture
Since breaking into the first-team in 2017, Phil Foden has scripted a meteoric rise at Manchester City. His talent and uncanny ability to step up in big games put him among the world's best young players.
With a sensational hat-trick against Manchester United, he demonstrated his enormous potential once again on Sunday.
Phil Foden is the first player to score a hat-trick in the Manchester derby since Erling Haaland, nine minutes earlier.
Foden came into the game with just two league goals this season. However, the 22-year-old turned the heat on Manchester United with his intelligent movement and clinical finishes.
His positioning for all three goals was spot on and his finish for the third was the mark of a talented player thriving in a well-oiled system. Foden ultimately bagged the first treble of his career in a Manchester derby of all clashes, advancing his big-game credentials even further.
#3 De Bruyne and Haaland's connection is devastating
Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland have struck up a devastating partnership since the latter's arrival at Manchester City this summer.
The duo combined directly for three goals on the evening - two of Haaland's and one of Foden's - and Manchester United had no answer. De Bruyne and Haaland's understanding and communication on the pitch was simply telepathic.
17/10 - In Erling Haaland (17) and Kevin De Bruyne (10), Manchester City have both the highest scorer and highest assister in Europe's big five leagues in all competitions this season, with De Bruyne already assisting Haaland five times. Demolition. https://t.co/jC5rCa2Q1y
De Bruyne first swung in a superb corner for Haaland to head home. The Belgian then sliced through the United defense with an incisive throughball for the Norwegian to double his tally.
The third instance of their partnership was arguably the best. De Bruyne launched into a counter-attack before laying the ball off for Haaland. The striker then cut it back across the box for Foden to slide home City's fourth.
In such a short amount of time, De Bruyne and Haaland have managed to forge a scintillating partnership that is almost frightening. The pair's connection will only improve as they play more matches together, which is bound to cause concerns for Manchester City's opponents.
#2 Time for Manchester United to head back to the drawing board
Just when it seemed like things were going well for Manchester United, it all came crashing down in epic fashion as they succumbed to another heavy derby loss.
Sure, the Red Devils managed to score thrice and reduce the scoreline, but their defense was lackluster and their midfield lacked cohesion too. Most importantly, their mentality was a no-show as the players looked helpless once Manchester City raced to a two-goal advantage.
4 - Since the start of 2020-21, Man Utd have conceded 4+ first-half goals in four Premier League games (v Spurs in Oct 2020, Liverpool in Oct 2021, Brentford in Aug 2022, Man City today); this is twice as often as any other side in this time. Humbled. https://t.co/19Umi7fgHF
Pep Guardiola's troops cut through Manchester United's backline like a knife through butter. City moved ball around quickly through the spaces in the visitors' defensive set-up, which only seemed to grow in size with every attack. The holes that Ten Hag had plugged in his side's wins against Liverpool and Arsenal seem to have worryingly returned.
Many of Manchester City's attacks were on their right side in the first half. Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva moved the ball forward down that side before cutting it back for Haaland or Foden in the center to pounce on.
Tyrell Malacia, who has impressed this season, struggled to cope with the overload on his flank with no real support. Raphael Varane's first-half departure due to injury will also concern Manchester United, while their midfielders simply couldn't thread passes together consistently.
The match was a rude wake-up call for Ten Hag and Co., and they need to find answers sooner rather than later.
#1 Erling Haaland can't and won't be stopped
He has already taken the English top-flight by storm, netting 11 goals in his first seven Premier League appearances. But Erling Haaland is clearly hungry for more.
The Norwegian struck another hat-trick on Sunday, his third consecutive treble at the Etihad in the league, to continue his scintillating run of home form.
3 - Erling Haaland is the first Manchester City player to score a hat-trick versus Manchester United since Francis Lee in December 1970, and third overall (also Horace Barnes in Oct 1921). Throwback. twitter.com/OptaJoe/status…
Manchester United huffed and puffed but couldn't keep him out as Haaland was simply unstoppable, netting a header and two close-range attempts. The former Borussia Dortmund striker has taken no time to adapt to English football and looks bound to break multiple records if he stays fit.
Haaland also got a few records under his belt in the game against United alone. He became the fastest player to score three Premier League hat-tricks and the first to score three consecutive league hat-tricks at home. The Norwegian is also the first Manchester City player in over 50 years to score a hat-trick against United.