Key Takeaways:
- Manchester City defeated Manchester United 3-0 in the Premier League fourth round
- Erling Haaland scored twice, bringing his Premier League tally to 90 goals
- Manchester United remain with only one win since the start of the campaign
Match Overview
Manchester City emphatically overcame traditional rivals Manchester United with a commanding 3-0 victory in the Premier League’s fourth round. The high-stakes encounter saw Phil Foden open the scoring in the 18th minute, before Erling Haaland netted two goals in the second half (53’, 68’), sealing all three points for Josep Guardiola’s side and ending a run of two consecutive defeats in all competitions. For Manchester United, managed by Ruben Amorim, the result leaves the team with just one victory since the campaign began.
City’s performance, though lacking their typically extended spells of possession in advanced areas, was decisive and confident, controlling the tempo and threatening to win by an even greater margin. In contrast, United’s longstanding struggles in front of goal were again apparent, despite creating a handful of opportunities.
Manchester is BLUE 🩵
🩵 3-0 🔴 @okx pic.twitter.com/vSGSSeKNoI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 14, 2025
Key Moments and First-Half Analysis
The Citizens nearly seized an early lead within the opening 20 seconds as United lost possession dangerously close to their penalty area, but Haaland’s effort from a narrow angle was off target. The initial stages featured energetic play by both adversaries. Benjamin Sesko registered the contest’s first shot on goal, while Altay Bayındır, after a shaky start and a mistake in the 7th minute, recovered in time as Haaland failed to capitalise.
In the 9th minute, Patrick Dorgu dispossessed Bernardo Silva but United were unable to profit from the resulting free kick. Shortly thereafter, Amad Diallo’s unorthodox attempt failed after a cross from Doku, highlighting United’s lack of cutting edge.
City’s breakthrough arrived in the 17th minute when Jérémy Doku attacked down the right, delivering an incisive cross for Phil Foden to head in and give the hosts the lead. Following Foden’s goal, United struggled for composure, frequently conceding possession, while Guardiola’s players increased their dominance and created several further chances. Tijjani Reijnders tested Bayındır, and Bryan Mbuemo fired over from a promising position (later ruled offside). Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented a certain goal from Sesko approaching the interval, while United were unable to capitalise on a series of set pieces before half-time.
Second-Half: Haaland Delivers, United Falter
United started the second half assertively, maintaining possession around City’s penalty box but failing to generate clear goal-scoring opportunities. The hosts doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute: Foden linked up with Doku, who set up Haaland for a lobbed finish over Bayındır, making it 2-0.
Haaland came close to an immediate third: after pouncing on a defensive mistake, he struck the post. Donnarumma then denied a strong header from Mbuemo with a superb save, while Bayındır reacted well to another Haaland header soon afterwards.
The Norwegian striker eventually secured his brace in the 69th minute, with Bernardo Silva playing him through on goal to calmly finish for 3-0 – marking Haaland’s 90th Premier League goal.
| Goal Scorer | Minute | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Foden | 18 | Manchester City |
| Erling Haaland | 53 | Manchester City |
| Erling Haaland | 68 | Manchester City |
Late Opportunities and Next Challenges
In the final stages, Tijjani Reijnders narrowly missed extending City’s lead, while United mounted some late pressure but failed to convert two significant chances in the 85th minute. Dorgu’s subsequent effort was also off target, confirming United’s continued woes in attack.
This result secured City’s second win of a highly competitive league season. Guardiola’s men now face a testing schedule, hosting Napoli as their Champions League group stage opens in midweek, followed by a trip to Arsenal next weekend. Manchester United, meanwhile, remain the lowest scoring side since Ruben Amorim’s appointment and are set to host Chelsea at Old Trafford in their next fixture.
