Ten-man Man City beat Man Utd at Old Trafford to stay perfect
Ten-man Manchester City beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, 13 September, to extend their perfect start to the season. Phil Foden was sent off in the first half. City still left with the points, according to BBC.
A perfect start means City have won every league game so far. That is a strong early statement. Doing it away from home, in the Manchester derby, makes it louder.
Erling Haaland scored for City from a Josko Gvardiol cross. A cross is a ball played in from a wide area for a team-mate to attack. Gvardiol supplied it from defence and Haaland applied the finish. It was another derby moment for a striker who keeps collecting them.
Foden's dismissal was the flashpoint of the first half. A red card means a player is sent off and cannot be replaced, so his team plays short. Bruno Fernandes was involved in the incident that led to the dismissal but received no sanction. The decision is sure to be replayed and debated.
Gianluigi Donnarumma kept a clean sheet for City. A clean sheet means the goalkeeper conceded no goals. His performance gave City the platform to win with ten men. Gvardiol matched that influence at the other end with an assist and a solid defensive display.
Michael Carrick selected United's team for the home derby. The fixture had been listed for Sunday, 13 September at 16:30 on City's Premier League page. Diogo Dalot made his 250th United appearance in the game, a landmark for any outfield player.
The BBC ratings pointed to a contest with standouts on both sides. Simon Stone rated the United players and Shamoon Hafez rated the City players. For United, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and attacker Bryan Mbeumo both received 8 out of 10. For City, Donnarumma and Gvardiol both received 8 out of 10.
Haaland arrived with history in this fixture. He had scored eight goals in seven Premier League appearances against United before kick-off, according to Manchester City. Last season City beat United 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, with Haaland scoring twice and Foden also on target. That record explains why United know they must stay tight to him.
Recent derbies have swung both ways. United beat City 2-0 on 17 January 2026. They also won 2-1 at the Etihad in December 2024. City's 6-3 victory in October 2022 remains the highest-scoring Manchester derby in any competition.
What makes this stand out is the test City passed. Playing a long spell with ten men away from home asks serious organisation and calm. For fans, this means City's early run has resilience in it as well as goals.
