Erling Haaland scored the only goal as Manchester City won the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. The 1-0 victory on Sunday keeps City second in the Premier League with a perfect record of five wins from five games.
Haaland struck on the hour mark, finishing a move to settle a tight contest. The result means Pep Guardiola's side have now won five consecutive matches in all competitions, scoring eight goals and conceding just two in the league. They sit on 12 points, with a goal difference of plus six.
Guardiola made two changes from the side that beat FC Porto in midweek, with Kevin De Bruyne returning to the starting lineup. The manager told reporters after the match that his team showed patience. "We controlled the game and waited for our moment," Guardiola said. "It was a difficult match but we found the solution."
Manchester United had the better of the early chances but failed to test Ederson seriously. City grew into the game and Haaland's clinical finish proved decisive. The Norwegian striker now has three goals in three league appearances this season, making him the club's top scorer.
Recent form continues
The win at Old Trafford follows a 2-0 Champions League victory in Portugal, where Haaland also scored twice. City's recent form shows five wins in a row, with victories over Coventry, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth preceding the European trip. Their last defeat was the 3-0 reverse at Arsenal on the opening weekend of the campaign.
With the international break now over, City's focus shifts to maintaining this momentum. They host Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday. Sunderland are currently 14th in the table.
The squad is in strong health, with no new injury concerns reported from the derby. Guardiola will have a full week to prepare his players for the next challenge as they aim to keep pace at the top of the standings.
