Ten-man City edge United as Haaland settles 199th derby
Ten-man Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 in the 199th Manchester derby on 13 September 2026.
Erling Haaland scored the only goal at Manchester United's home ground. City played more than 70 minutes with 10 men and still held on. The BBC described the win as highly controversial BBC Sport.
The game turned midway through the first half. Phil Foden was sent off, leaving City a player short for the rest of the afternoon Manchester City.
The red card followed a two-footed challenge into the stomach of United captain Bruno Fernandes Yahoo Sport. A red card means an automatic dismissal, with no replacement allowed. City had to defend their lead with 10 men against 11.
Haaland settled it on the hour mark. His strike was originally disallowed before being given, in a moment that fuelled the controversy Manchester United. United could not find a way back. The result went down as a 1-0 home defeat for United.
City held on. Every clearance grew louder. Every minute felt longer.
Derbies in this city rarely sit still. Last season City won this fixture 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, a game the club counted as the 197th derby. Foden headed City ahead in the 18th minute in that match, then Haaland scored twice in the second half. United had answered with a 2-0 win over City on 17 January 2026.
The history runs deeper. In 2022, Haaland and Foden both scored hat-tricks, three goals each, in City's wild 6-3 derby win. That remains a reference point for how open this fixture can be.
What makes this stand out is the shape of the win. City did not overpower United with numbers. They absorbed pressure, stayed compact without the ball, and took the one clear chance that mattered through their central striker. For fans, this means a derby remembered less for rhythm and more for resistance.
