Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United Match Review & Player Ratings: Haaland Scores Twice as Doku Shines in Premier League Derby! | OneFootball

Manchester City 3–0 Manchester United

Phil Foden 18’, Erling Haaland 53’, 68’.

Derbies are often tense, tactical arm wrestles, decided by fine margins or moments of individual brilliance. This one, however, was an emphatic statement. The Etihad crackled with electricity long before a ball was kicked, a city divided but united in anticipation of its fiercest contest. Under the floodlights, with tributes to the late Ricky Hatton stirring emotion across red and blue alike, Manchester’s great divide prepared for another chapter. What followed was not balance, not a struggle, but a ruthless exhibition. Phil Foden struck first, Erling Haaland twice more, and Manchester City dismantled United with a swagger that bordered on cruel inevitability.

For City, it was a restorative win after a shaky start to the season. For United, it raised further questions about Ruben Amorim’s tactical approach and his players’ fragility under pressure.

Match Summary and Tactical Review

City’s Controlled Aggression

Pep Guardiola set his side up to dominate from the outset, blending high pressing with rapid progression through the channels. The key difference in this derby was Jeremy Doku’s freedom. Operating in a roaming role behind Haaland, the Belgian was electric, recording two assists and repeatedly isolating defenders. City’s first goal epitomised this tactical intent: Doku darted inside, beat two men, and clipped a perfect cross for Foden, who arrived late and clinically headed home.

From there, City tightened their grip. Rodri orchestrated midfield, constantly dictating tempo, while Reijnders’ intelligent runs occupied United’s defensive shape. The strategy was simple but devastatingly effective – pull United’s midfield out of position, isolate their backline, and let Doku and Foden create chaos.

Haaland’s Relentless Hunt

The Norwegian striker reminded United once again of his merciless instincts. His first goal, a delightful dink after a sweeping City move, put his team in full control. He somehow contrived to hit the post from close range soon after, but the miss barely registered. Minutes later, he burst through from inside his own half, showing pace, power, and composure to slot home his second. That brace made it five goals in four league matches – and eight in one week when including his exploits for Norway.

United’s Tactical Failures

Amorim gambled with selection. Casemiro and Mainoo were benched, with Ugarte recalled to provide bite. While the Uruguayan pressed energetically early on, the cracks soon reappeared. Bruno Fernandes, deployed deeper, failed to track runners, exposing United’s midfield. Doku exploited this repeatedly, and City’s opener highlighted how simple it was to cut through United despite them having all 11 players behind the ball.

Up front, Sesko, on his first Premier League start, looked isolated. Without adequate service, he offered little threat beyond one half-chance. Mbeumo had moments but lacked end product, while Diallo was subdued on the left. Defensive frailty compounded United’s misery: Shaw lost Haaland for the second goal, Yoro was bullied by Doku, and De Ligt endured a torrid afternoon.

A Game of Contrasts

While Guardiola engineered freedom and fluidity, Amorim’s side looked predictable and passive. The United manager’s press conference pre-match had given away some of his selection plans, but even his tactical tweaks failed to prevent City carving them open. It was another derby in which City’s superior structure, mentality, and execution shone through.

Player Ratings

Manchester City

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 8

Quiet for long spells but produced a stunning reflex stop to deny Mbeumo. A composed debut.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 7.5

Aggressive and uncompromising. Strong in duels and well-suited to the derby intensity.

Ruben Dias – 6.5

Generally solid, but moments of slack organisation allowed United glimpses.

Josko Gvardiol – 7

Still settling after injury but did his defensive work diligently.

Nico O’Reilly – 6

First start of the season. Stood up reasonably well defensively, though United probed his side late on.

Rodri – 7

Controlled tempo, demanding standards from teammates. The fulcrum of City’s play.

Bernardo Silva – 7.5

Worked tirelessly in possession, though less influential than usual in attack.

Tijjani Reijnders – 7

Positionally astute and key in pulling United’s defence out of shape.

Phil Foden – 7.5

Scored the opener with a deft header and played with freedom and confidence throughout.

Jeremy Doku – 9

One of his best performances in a City shirt. Two assists, constant menace, and tactical freedom well used.

Erling Haaland – 8.5

A brace, plus defensive clearances in his own box. Relentless and decisive despite one glaring miss.

Subs: Gonzalez, Savinho, Bobb, Ake – all late introductions with little impact.

Manchester United

Altay Bayindir – 4.5

Nervy throughout. One heavy touch early on set the tone. Couldn’t cope with City’s intensity.

Leny Yoro – 4.5

Outmuscled by Doku, replaced early. A tough learning experience.

Matthijs de Ligt – 5.5

Struggled badly against Haaland. Fortunate not to be punished further.

Luke Shaw – 5

Lost Haaland for the second goal and caught flat-footed at key moments.

Noussair Mazraoui – 5

Looked to combine with Mbeumo but impact was minimal. Withdrawn second half.

Manuel Ugarte – 6

Energetic start but couldn’t cover widening midfield gaps.

Bruno Fernandes – 5.5

Ineffective in a deeper role, repeatedly failed to track City’s runners.

Patrick Dorgu – 6

Competed physically but hesitant in the build-up to City’s opener.

Bryan Mbeumo – 6.5

One excellent volley forced Donnarumma into action, but otherwise wasteful.

Benjamin Sesko – 4

Anonymous on his debut aside from one chance. Cut an isolated figure.

Amad Diallo – 5.5

Struggled for rhythm and offered little attacking threat.

Subs:

Harry Maguire – 4.5

Kobbie Mainoo – 5

Joshua Zirkzee – 4

Casemiro – 5

Man of the Match

Jeremy Doku (Manchester City)

While Haaland’s goals sealed the derby, Doku was the true game-changer. Freed to roam, he tormented United throughout, creating two assists, breaking lines, and embodying City’s attacking intent.

Final Word

As the final whistle pierced the Manchester night, the scoreboard told only part of the story. City’s 3–0 triumph was not merely another derby victory-it was a declaration of power, precision, and purpose. This derby was not just about three points; it was about statements of intent and questions of direction. Haaland’s ruthless double, Doku’s unshackled brilliance, and Foden’s resurgence crystallised a team rediscovering its rhythm at exactly the right moment. For Guardiola, this was vindication; for City, it was resurrection; both a cathartic release and a reaffirmation of their dominance, powered by Haaland’s ruthlessness and Doku’s dynamism. The victory lifts them back into the conversation near the top of the table after early stumbles, restoring belief before their Champions League clash with Napoli.

Across town, though, the picture darkens. Amorim’s gambles backfired, his midfield again a patchwork that City tore through with unnerving ease. United left the Etihad not just beaten, but exposed questions piling faster than answers, pressure building heavier with each fixture ahead. With Chelsea, Brentford, and Sunderland ahead, the margin for error is shrinking fast. Another faltering run could see the noise around the manager intensify.

At the Etihad, one side looked reborn; the other looked rudderless. City reminded Manchester of their supremacy, while United left with more doubts than answers.

And yet, this is the beauty and cruelty of football: in ninety minutes, reputations rise and unravel. City march on, heads lifted, momentum rekindled. United retreat, forced into reflection, their season teetering on the edge of turbulence.

One city, two clubs, and a chasm laid bare. Manchester belongs to City tonight, and the echoes of their dominance will rumble long into the weeks to come.