Erling Haaland urged Manchester City to “get our asses going”, then showed how with the second and third goals that sealed this 197th derby for Pep Guardiola’s men, and ended a two-defeat run.
This is no vintage City iteration – currently, at least – but witnessing how the prolific Norwegian bagged his strikes, and performed throughout, suggests their main man is up for leading the revival.
Haaland’s second was a picture of cool: the centre-forward skipped on to Bernardo Silva’s threaded pass, looked up, paused then beat Altay Bayindir with the precision that makes him a phenomenon. It was on 68 minutes and signalled contest over on an afternoon that began in sombre mood due to Ricky Hatton’s sad passing on Sunday morning.
This win gives City six points from four league outings and leaves Ruben Amorim’s struggling unit on four. They might have trundled home nursing a 4-0 (or more) downing if Haaland’s teammates were as cut-throat as he – towards the close Tijjani Reijnders again sprung United’s wafer-thin midfield, Amorim wheeled in disgust, but the Dutchman sprayed wide.
In Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma (excellent on debut), Rodri, Phil Foden (who netted the opener), Rúben Dias and others Pep Guardiola has a high-quality coterie. Amorim still does not, which is the puzzle he must solve if last season’s disastrous campaign is not to be repeated. Yet again his side lacked imagination, guile, and, most importantly, fantasy. Perhaps it will click but 12 years after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement how-soon-is-now remains the poser regarding when United might turn a seemingly endless corner.
