Manchester City insider reveals ‘unusual moves’ ordered by Pep Guardiola to cause United demolition | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola ordered a number of ‘unusual moves’ that would go on to cause Manchester City’s demolition job over rivals United on Sunday afternoon.

A brace from Erling Haaland and a Phil Foden header helped Manchester City return to winning ways in the Premier League in style, having lost back-to-back games against Tottenham and Brighton before the international break.

City were far superior to a lacklustre Manchester United side that have struggled for form since Ruben Amorim was appointed manager in the fall of 2024, with briefings from Old Trafford emerging on Monday to reassure fans that the United board continue to back the Portuguese manager.

Having suffered a gut-wrenching defeat to Manchester United in the fixture last term, Manchester City kicked off with intent on Sunday and nearly opened the scoring via Haaland within 20 seconds of play.

On his long-awaited return to the starting XI, Foden marked his first Manchester City start of the 2025-26 season with a well-taken header to break the deadlock after 18 minutes, admitting in his post-match interview with Sky Sports to have taken recent social media criticism of his performances in his stride.

City looked like a few gears had been stepped up in the camp since Brighton overturned a half-time one-goal deficit to claim a comeback triumph over Pep Guardiola’s men at the Amex Stadium in August, with the Etihad Stadium faithful treated with a throwback to the dominant Manchester City of a few years ago.

Haaland delivered one of his best all-round performances in a Manchester City shirt, with the Norway international equalling Sergio Aguero’s tally of eight goals in the Manchester derby as he notched a brilliant brace on his 150th appearance for the Blues.

Guardiola also handed deadline day signing Gianluigi Donnarumma his full Premier League debut and the 26-year-old Italy international repaid his new manager’s faith, making a series if crucial saves in the second half to record his first Manchester City clean sheet.

As detailed in a longer edition from MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, club sources say that in the hours before the 3-0 win over Manchester United, ‘everything and more had been poured into’ the game’ – an ‘unusual’ amount with an ‘overwhelming and rare feeling of must not lose’.

It is further pointed out how despite never taking on some an activity pre-matchday, Manchester City trained at the Etihad Stadium the day before the game, while some at the club suggest it was purely down to the official squad photo being taken.

Some would point out that Manchester City’s official squad photo is traditionally taken at the City Football Academy training ground.

MailSport also highlight that Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad arrived via their team coach outside of the Etihad Stadium’s Colin Bell Stand just before 14:40 – around half an hour earlier than normal.