Haaland punishes United as ten-man City take the derby
Ten-man Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on 13 September.
Erling Haaland got the only goal in the 60th minute, according to Manchester United. Phil Foden had been sent off before half-time, which left City to defend their lead with ten players for more than half the match.
For United, the result continued a slow start. Michael Carrick's side have four points from four Premier League games, according to the BBC. Their one win so far came at home to newly promoted Ipswich.
The derby followed an unwanted pattern. For the third time in less than ten months, United have lost to opponents reduced to ten men before the break. Ten-man Newcastle beat them 2-1 in March to end Carrick's unbeaten run, with Osula scoring a 90th-minute winner, according to Reuters.
City are managed by Enzo Maresca. His team held firm after Foden's red card and struck through their centre-forward, a striker who leads the line and lives on service in the box. Haaland needed one clear moment. He took it.
United head coach Carrick, the former United midfielder, is still early in the job after leading the club back to third place and Champions League qualification last season. That revival included ten wins in 15 league games. Expectations have stayed high since, but this season has started in a different mood.
There was change in the team too. Luke Shaw's run of 41 consecutive Premier League starts came to an end. United spent £155m in the summer, with the focus on midfield. The idea was control. Against City, they had the extra player for a full half and still could not find a way through.
Bruno Fernandes remains their brightest spark. He has three goals and one assist so far this season. Last season he won the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards after nine goals and 22 assists in the Premier League.
What makes this stand out is the noise around the numbers. United were not opened up. They were not outplayed for 90 minutes. They lost at home, to rivals, while playing against ten. Those are the afternoons that linger with supporters because the advantage was there and it slipped.
For fans, this means the next two games carry weight. United host Brighton in the Carabao Cup, the main domestic knockout cup alongside the FA Cup, on 16 September. They travel to Fulham four days later.
Four games is not a season. Four points is not a disaster. But Old Trafford expected a response in the derby, and City left with the win.
