MANCHESTER, England, Oct 29 (Reuters) – In a display of utter dominance, Manchester City delivered a powerful message of superiority over Manchester United with a commanding 3-0 victory at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.
Erling Haaland stole the spotlight by scoring twice, pushing his Premier League goal tally to double figures for the season. Phil Foden also added to the woes of Manchester United with a goal, securing the win for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Liverpool maintained their top-four position with a 3-0 home victory against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Aston Villa secured their 12th consecutive home league win with a comfortable 3-1 victory against struggling Luton Town.
In a poignant moment, Everton clinched a 1-0 victory at West Ham United, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring the only goal. This win came at the end of a week marked by the passing of chairman Bill Kenwright at the age of 78, and it propelled Everton to the 15th spot in the league.
In the day’s other match, Brighton & Hove Albion settled for a 1-1 draw at home against Fulham, extending their winless streak to four games.
With this emphatic victory, Manchester City surged to 24 points, tying with Arsenal, who had earlier thrashed Sheffield United 5-0. Tottenham Hotspur, the surprise league leaders, are just two points ahead after defeating Crystal Palace on Friday.
In stark contrast, Manchester United currently resides in the eighth spot, trailing City by nine points. The gulf in class between the two teams was painfully evident on Sunday.
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, speaking to Sky Sports, commented, “It’s different levels. The United players are just short in every aspect. Technically and tactically. It’s a long way back for this team.”
Erik Ten Hag’s side had shown promise with recent narrow league wins and a Champions League victory. However, Manchester City exposed their vulnerabilities with a masterful performance, handing Manchester United their fifth defeat in their first ten Premier League games of the season – the most since the 1986-87 season.
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The match began with touching tributes to Manchester United legend Bobby Charlton, who passed away the previous weekend. However, any hope of a display worthy of Charlton’s legacy quickly dissipated.
Haaland opened the scoring with a 26th-minute penalty, marking his first goal at Old Trafford, after United’s Rasmus Hojlund was penalized for a foul on Rodri. Shortly after the break, the Norwegian striker headed in a cross from Bernardo Silva to make it 2-0, securing his 11th league goal of the season. Haaland then turned provider, setting up Foden to complete Manchester United’s misery as the rain poured down.
“It is definitely one of the best wins. To win 3-0 away with this crowd, I think it is definitely one of the best performances,” said Haaland after the match.
