Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford despite playing more than an hour with ten men, as Erling Haaland's contentious second-half goal secured Enzo Maresca's fourth Premier League win from four matches in charge.
Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes, who had fouled the City midfielder moments earlier without punishment.
Haaland settled the derby midway through the second half, poking in a cross from Josko Gvardiol at the far post. The goal was initially ruled out for offside by the assistant referee before VAR intervened to award it.
VAR controversy over the winning goal
Replays showed Enzo Fernandez, standing in an offside position on the six-yard line as the ball passed in front of him, did not make contact with it but appeared to try to reach it. Given he was a yard offside, United had cause to feel the original offside call should have stood.
Foden's reckless red card
Foden's dismissal followed a fractious opening in which United fouled City players twice inside the first two minutes, Diogo Dalot bringing down Elliot Anderson before Harry Maguire went through Rayan Cherki. Fernandes then kicked out at Foden, who reacted by kicking back and was shown a straight red card.
Maresca makes it four wins from four
Maresca, City's new manager, sprinted down the touchline in celebration at the final whistle. The win made it four league victories in a row to open his reign, a result his side badly needed with Arsenal setting a fast pace at the top of the table.
United left to rue missed chances
Michael Carrick's United dominated possession and territory once City dropped into a deeper shape after Foden's exit, but could not find a way through. Marcus Rashford struck the post with a 25-yard free-kick either side of half-time, and Kobbie Mainoo hit the woodwork in the 50th minute after running onto the ball just outside the box at the Stretford End. Rashford also drilled an effort into the side netting, while Matheus Cunha fired over from the other side. Statistics showed it took United 50 minutes after Foden's dismissal to register their first shot on target. Gianluigi Donnarumma then produced what was described as a save of the season to deny Bryan Mbeumo in the fourth minute of five added at the end of the game. United had scored four goals in the Champions League the previous Thursday and had lifted their level from a disappointing draw at Everton the weekend before, but found City a different proposition once reduced to ten men.
Anderson outshines Mainoo as Tuchel watches on
England manager Thomas Tuchel attended the match ahead of naming his squad on Friday, and Elliot Anderson gave him plenty to note. Anderson got the better of his opposite number Mainoo throughout the game, a player United had themselves tried to sign in the past.
Fernandez's role in City's win
Enzo Fernandez was equally influential in the City midfield, unsettling United's players and helping his side see out the closing stages by drawing fouls and slowing the game down. After Haaland's goal, United goalkeeper Senne Lammens denied Fernandez with a fingertip save that turned a low shot onto the inside of the post, sparing United a heavier defeat.
Late on, Mbeumo and Maguire both headed wide as United searched for an equaliser, Mbeumo's chance coming from one of the few moments of quality his side mustered after the red card. At the other end, Haaland almost added a second, poking narrowly wide from a Fernandes free-kick as United's back four wobbled again.
