Manchester City - Manchester United summary: score, goals & highlights, Premier League

Let's leave it there...

Thanks for joining in on the action which leaves the title race wide open and now we can look ahead to City's next game, on March 10: Liverpool at Anfield.

Joe

Here's how Opta saw the game:

Plus that fantastic stat that Manchester United's 143-game run is over! Wow!

Full-time thoughts:

Phil Foden inspired a Manchester City comeback to move to within a point of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. 

Marcus Rashford got an early goal for the away side as he thundered a shot from long range past Ederson, but that was the beginning and end of Manchester United's outfield players' influence in the game.

From then on, the blue shirts buzzed around like flies, picking up every loose ball and constantly peppering Onana in goal.

City went in behind at half-time but eventually broke the deadlock just before the hour mark with a sensational strike from Foden, who crashed his own version of Rashford's earlier goal past Onana.

The dominance continued and eventually Foden was in again after a slick move between him and Álvarez on the left allowed the Englishman the space to slot home from a tight angle. 

Shots and crosses kept flying over Onana and his defence like a meteor shower before substitute Amrabat lost the ball to Rodri, who played in Haaland to score a much easier chance than the glaring opportunity he missed in the first half.

Watching the game it felt like a matter of time before City ran away with it, which is exactly how it transpired against a Manchester United side who are simply not at their level in any area of the pitch. 

FULL-TIME

City move to within one point of Liverpool at the top of the table.

It's a long trip back to London for the travelling Manchester United fans, who couldn't hang on to their early lead.

Into the final minute.

City sub:

OFF: Foden

ON: Bobb

The olés are out for the City fans, who can finally have some fun after a tense afternoon.

Back underway.

"You're very bad" sing the City fans to their red counterparts. Just without using those exact words.

Amrabat is caught in possession on the edge of the box and Rodri slides through to Haaland, who does not miss this time, slotting past Onana into the bottom corner of the goal.

CHANCE. De Bruyne fizzes a thundercracker just wide from distance!

8 added minutes.

City win a free-kick near halfway after a trip from Forson on Stones.

We're into the final minute of normal time.

CHANCE. Varane, again, gets on De Bruyne's cross that had Haaland's name written all over it.

CHANCE. Varane gets a foot on the cross from De Bruyne, which was destined for Haaland in the six-yard box.

City are, as you might expect, more than happt to keep the ball as their possession shape tessellates across the pitch.

As it stands, City are one point behind Liverpool, who they play next week.

We're back underway.

Ten Hag subs:

OFF: Mainoo, Garnacho

ON: Forson, Amrabat

Foden starts the move by playing in towards Álvarez, who gives it back to him.

The touch down the left side of the box takes away the chance for the defender to slide in and 'all' there is left to do is slot past Onana, which he does superbly well from a tight angle.

We're into the final ten minutes.

VAR take a look. No foul; a great tackle.

City's fans get frustrated after a few 'fouls' don't go their way. Manchester United counter and Ederson goes in on Garnacho, who flies to the ground. Ten Hag's players want a penalty but it looks like a clean tackle.

This is seriously tense football. All 22 players are inside the Manchester United defensive third and the passes are short, sharp and simply suicidal if they go wrong.

Antony is offside as Bruno Fernandes slides the ball in behind the City defence in what was a fantastic counter-attack from the away side.

Manchester United change:

OFF: Rashford

ON: Antony

McTominay swipes away Silva's low cross from the left. Manchester United survive another wave of pressure.

Antony is preparing to come on...

CHANCE. Walker goes for glory from distance. Onana saves with ease.

Into the wall from De Bruyne...

The free-kick is exactly in the middle of the pitch, bang on the edge of the 'D' of the box.

Manchester United substitute:

OFF: Evans

ON: Kambwala

Varane is booked for bringing Haaland down on the edge of the box.

Normally hamstring injuries can take weeks to recover from, but Onana has miraculously realised he's fine. We carry on.

Play is stopped as Onanagoesdown with the ball in his hands. It's a hamstring.

CHANCE. Silva's header back across goal from Foden's cross is missed by Haaland and there is a matter of inches in it.

City's pressure is crushing Manchester United into a space fit for the singularity. The away side get a breather when De Bruyne chips a poor cross into the grateful grasp of Onana.

Onana's fist meets De Bruyne's cross and City win a corner. City are pushing for more.

City sub:

OFF: Doku

ON: Álvarez

We're back underway.

Manchester United's players are complaining to the referee as they wanted a free-kick earlier in the move for a challenge on Rashford from Walker when City recovered the ball. Not given. 

City recover the ball deep and play from left to right where Foden takes a touch inside and unleashes a Saturn V rocket into the top corner!

Haaland can't get on the end of Aké's cross after perhaps feeling a shove in the back from Evans. 

This is Manchester United's longest spell of possession so far: they've put City into their own half and are tap, tap, tapping the ball around in the middle third with ease.

It's sublime from Casemiro, who slides the ball through Silva's legs in his own half and works the ball out into the middle third.

Guardiola is literally on the pitch, screaming at Foden who is just yards away.

SAVE! Onana gets a finger on Doku's shot/cross from the left and the touch takes the ball away from Foden at the far post!

City have Ten Hag's side pinned into their own box. Exactly like the first half, but just in the other half of the pitch.

The last time Manchester United lost a game they were leading at half-time was back in 2014 against Leicester City.

He's OK and we're underway.

And instantly Stones is down with an ankle injury after landing awkwardly from a jump.

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!

Bruno Fernandes rolls the ball and we're off again!

(I've made the main photo of the feed the Haaland miss, so you can have a look)

ALMOST READY TO GO

The players are in the tunnel and are ready for the second half!

Onana's half-time stats:

If he keeps it up, the MVP award of the game is his for sure!

Lineker calls Haaland chance "worst miss I've ever seen"

It may seem like a harsh description, but when you see it, you'll understand.

OptaJoe with the goods

It's a great name as well.

Here's how Sofacsore saw the half...

2.73xG for City, but no goals...

Half-time thoughts:

Marcus Rashford's sensational strike sees Manchester United ahead at the break in a game that has been utterly dominated by a creative yet impotent City side.

Manchester City have huffed and puffed like the Big, Bad, Blue Wolf but Manchester United's red brick wall has stood firm and withstood pretty much everything that has been thrown at it from all angles.

Shots have rained down on Onana's goal but between fantastic saves and sensational blocks, City have failed to score.

And there's also the simply unbelievable miss from Haaland who sent the ball over the bar from a yard out.

Let's see what happens in the second half but I wouldn't bet against another goal from either side!

HALF-TIME!

Well, well, well...

CHANCE. Walker sees his deflected effort fly over the crossbar!

CHANCE. Varane almost hits De Bruyne's low cross into his own goal but the ball fizzes past the post and out for a corner, which is defended.

3 added minutes.

Wow. That's genuinely unbelievable.

That's a chance for anyone in the Premier League to finish. Foden heads a cross back across goal and Haaland is one yard from goal - but somehow he taps the ball over the bar!

HAALAND MISSES A HUGE CHANCE

CHANCE! Silva's cross towards the penalty spot is met by Haaland - or not! Varane's boot connects with the ball and clears away just before the blonde locks fires past Onana!

A sliced volley from De Bruyne that is sent into Row Q of the stand sums up City's half. They've been great, right up until the final ball and the execution.

Manchester United have been OK on the ball, but their one plus point comes from fine finishing.

Into the final five minutes of the half.

Onana catches Foden's cross from the right. The England midfielder screams skyward. Frustration is creeping in...

Arms are thrown in the air as Haaland is judged to have fouled Evans, who fell to the ground like a dying swan.

CHANCE. Foden is given the ball from De Bruyne on the right and goes for goal, driving low. Casemiro sticks a leg in the way.

The noise levels from the fans in blue is turning into frustration as the team can't find the key to get on the end of the final ball.

If I had one criticism of City's approach so far, it would be that Doku is being slightly predictable on the left side, and cutting in too early rather than taking Dalot all the way to the byline and sending the ball towards Haaland.

SAVE. Onana to the rescue as he gets down low to his left to stop Rodri's spinning effort from inside the box.

CHANCE. Doku's shot from the left is deflected and the ball lands on the head of a flat-footed Haaland, who sends the effort over the bar from 10 yards out.

CHANCE. Doku and Silva link up on the left and a one-two leaves the Belgian inside the box and with an inch to shoot. His shot is wild and spins away from the far post. 

De Bruyne clips a ball from the centre channel towards the far post where Foden is lingering. Onana does well to come out and collect.

Manchester United are holding off their opponents well as the ball is pushed left and right in the middle third of the pitch.

[Copy + paste] City win another corner... number 8 of the game for them. I'm counting.

NOT GIVEN. As you were...

VAR check for a possible penalty... it looks like it could be a Dalot handball.

CHANCE! Manchester United attack and Bruno Fernandes plays a sensational chip from the left to the far post. Rashford draws his leg back to smash in the volley from close range but the dials and radars are off-target and his boot slices through the air as the ball whizzes past!

City win a corner after De Bruyne's cross is cleared by Mainoo. A nice move from the home side, who look to be finding their groove again.

We're 20 minutes in and this game is utter madness. Bernardo Silva takes the ball, puts his studs on the top of it and waves his arms, asking for calm from his team.

De Bruyne plays a De Bruyne through ball that slices through the defence like a lightsaber through a mouse's brain. Phil Foden latches onto the end of it and races away, but his low shot is saved by Onana!

SAVE!!!

ONANA SAVES MANCHESTER UNITED

Dias slips at the back and allows Bruno Fernandes the ball. The attacker sends Rashford running in behind on his own but his touch is poor and Kyle Walker recovers at the last second!

CHANCE. It's non-stop! 

KYLE WALKER SAVES CITY

CHANCE. De Bruyne is fed the ball low from the left. His touch sees the ball bounce upwards and he slices the volley into the stand.

SAVE. Onana! Silva chips a pass over the head of the Manchester United left-back for Foden, who smashes a low drive across goal and into the leg of the goalkeeper.

City are rushing things and look flustered....

De Bruyne tries to go all the way on his own with a driving run from deep but eventually he runs out of steam and loses the ball.

Fernandes, who has been involved in everything good for Ten Hag's side so far, heads away an in-swinging City corner.

The away side come again and Fernandes wins his side a corner. They're in no rush to take it...

Back underway. The stadium is, quite simply, shocked and stunned into silence.

A long ball is sent forward and it's trapped by Fernandes before being slid to Rashford who sends a screaming effort from almost 30 yards out off the crossbar and into the top corner of the goal!

RASHFORD

This early dominance, while not unexpected, is still quite startling to watch. I don't think the players in red shirts have put together 10 passes yet.

CHANCE! The ball is played from right to left and lands with Doku, who skips onto his weaker foot and smashes a shot towards the near post that flashes past Onana and out for a goal-kick.

CHANCE. City work it into the box and Stones finds a yard to shoot, but he's brought down by Casemiro. Nothing given.

The home side have their opponents pressed into their defensive third as the ball is sprayed left to right and back again. It's all City in the opening stages.

CHANCE. Foden fizzes a shot towards goal that's headedbehind for another corner.

City win an early corner after nice work from Stones to spread from right to left, opening up a gap on Manchester United's defence.

AND WE'RE OFF!

The home side get us going from right to left as the sun sets behind the stands...

Hands have been shaken and we're just finalising the obligatory niceties...

We're still waiting on the green light from the referee for the players to step out onto the pitch.

HERE COME THE PLAYERS

The players are in the tunnel!

The ground is full to the brim!

The noise levels are shooting upwards as we approach kick-off!

A reminder of the team news:

MAN CITY

GK: Ederson

DEF: Walker - Dias - Aké

MID: Rodri - Stones

ATM: Silva - De Bruyne - Foden - Doku

ST: Haaland

MAN UTD:

GK: Onana

DEF: Lindelof - Evans - Varane - Dalot

MID: McTominay - Casemiro - Mainoo - Fernandes

ATT: Garnacho - Rashford

PREMIER LEAGUE

Erling Haaland on track to break Sergio Agüero’s record with Manchester City

Haaland is on course to break an unusual recordthat still belongs to Sergio Agüero. And it is one in which De Bruyne is also involved.

The record still held by Agüero is that the Argentinian is so far the player to whom De Bruyne has provided the most assists in his career. The former City man scored 23 goals from De Bruyne assists, according to data shared by One Football.

Preparations underway!

The players are warming up on the pitch as kick-off approaches!

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester derby injury update: will Grealish and Hojlund play?

Both Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag have players who are unavailable for this afternoon’s clash.

Here's the latest on who's missing for the 192d Manchester derby.

Who to watch:

Yes, shoot me for going for the obvious. Erling Haaland scored 5 (five) goals the last time he stepped onto a professional football pitch, bagging them all in under an hour against poor Luton Town in the FA Cup. 

He wouldn’t be my pick of the bunch were it not for that, but I cannot ignore the numbers of a goal-munching monster.

My original pick of the players to keep an eye on, apart from Haaland, was Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, who has impressed recently playing in midfield for the Stretford side.

Manchester United recent results:

· Fulham 1-2 (L)

· Luton 1-2 (W)

· Aston Villa 1-2 (W)

· West Ham 3-0 (W)

· Wolves 3-4 (W)

PREMIER LEAGUE

Which month has seen the most goals in Premier League history?

With a rare three-horse race for the title and an Arsenal team that have collectively found their shooting boots, it's been a net-bulging extravaganza.

But what's the record for most goals in a month? Hint: it's a lot

Ten Hag accuses Forest of targeting Bruno Fernandes

Poor Bruno Fernandes was, according to Ten Hag, targeted by Forest during their FA Cup game. Here's what he had to say in support of the warrior.

Man City's last five games:

Bournemouth 0-1 (W)

Brentford 1-0 (W)

Chelsea 1-1 (D)

Everton 2-0 (W)

Brentford 1-3 (W)

Get involved!

We've got a poll up and running on Twitter and you can not only say who you think will win, but go one further and give us a score prediction!

SOCCER

How football would look if the blue card were to be introduced

While it's not here yet, the blue card has been spoken about plenty since the news broke a few weeks ago.

Now, with body cameras and referee protests set to be on the agenda when IFAB meet in Glasgow on Saturday 2 March, the debate surrounding the blue card has risen once again. 

Here's how things would look should the controversial rule actually come into play...

Guardiola knows City success can't last forever

The Catalan coach spoke ahead of the Manchester Derby, and was quite philosophical about City's recent winnings.

Want to watch the game?

Here's how you can feast your eyes on the game today, either on your TV or streaming device.

City side revealed!

It's another talent-packed XI from Guardiola, who goes all-out for the game.

Man Utd XI is in!

It's a strong side from Ten Hag, who names a full-strength XI for the game.

Team news coming up...

We'll have the team news shortly as the fans head to the stadium...

PREMIER LEAGUE

Where will Manchester United play on their summer tour 2024?

Manchester United have announced that they will be heading to the United States once again for a preseason tour later this year.

"Manchester is taking over America and creating the Yanited States! Two huge matches have already been announced, but sign up to Tour 2024 Fan Alerts to find out who we’ll play next and what special moments are coming FIRST" said a statement online.

How the table looks for Man Utd:

Slide your eyes slightly further down the league and you’ll find Ten Hag’s side, who sit in 6th before the game.

They’ve got some work to do to make up the 6 points that Spurs have ahead of them and then it’s a further 5 to Aston Villa who occupy the final spot in the Champions League.

West Ham, that team who want their manager out for playing terribly, are only 2 points behind Ten Hag, who is also under pressure. Is anybody happy in the Premier League?

How the table looks for City:

Pretty good, if you ask me. City are currently second and ahead of kick-off they are 4 points behind Liverpool who grabbed a late, late winner against Forest yesterday.

Arsenal are one point behind the sky blue side and then we’ve got Aston Villa, who are not letting go of the European dream.

Who's the ref?

Get your pencil out and tick off Andy Madley from the Spotters Guide today, as the Premier League veteran is taking charge of proceedings in the north-west. 

Madley’s a seasoned pro, and has taken charge of everything from Champions League games to Japan’s top division.

What's that in the sky?

Why is it blue? Since when was the sky in Manchester blue and not grey? 

For those of you who have never been to England's north-west, this is about as strange a meteorological occurrence as scientifcally possible.

Anyway, onto the Etihad Stadium. Unfortunately, despite the success, the Manchester City ground is not known for its ferocious atmosphere and player-melting levels of tension.

The game has sold out, so perhaps that fact coupled with the beautiful sky will mean we get a fantastic buzz inside!

Man Utd team news

It’s only Wan-Bissaka ruining the alliteration on the Manchester United injury list as Martial, Malacia, Martínez and Mount are also all unavailable.

Well, that’s not entirely true, as both Shaw and Højlund are not fit to play, but that didn’t work with my joke.

Man City team news

Grealish is out of the game with a groin injury and Josko Gvardiol is a doubt ahead of kick-off. Other than that it’s all systems go for Guardiola.

Changes at Old Trafford

Jim Ratcliffe has officially taken over the club after the long process was finalised last week and since then various names have been linked with different posts across all levels of the club. 

Erik ten Hag is one of the names under scrutiny as it seems he cannot get them going despite however many kickstarts he gives the pedal, but for now he’s still here and the club are looking towards Europe.

Ticking along nicely...

The season is ticking along nicely for City who have welcomed back both Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland in recent weeks and months, giving their team back the everlasting goal threat that has characterised them for so long. 

The FA charges are still bubbling under the surface and questions were raised earlier in the week as Everton saw points restored, but for now, they’re getting on with demolishing just about everything in front of them.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the ASUSA live coverage of Manchester City vs Manchester United in the Premier League.

It’s Joe here today to guide you through one of England’s most entertaining derby games.