Nigerian international, Kelechi Iheanacho, grabbed the winner in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford as they maintain their winning start to life under Pep Guardiola.
Kevin de Bruyne and Iheanacho’s opening goals proved to be enough for City to hold out for the three points, though, meaning a first defeat in charge of the Red Devils for Jose Mourinho.
For the 77,000 spectators inside the Theatre of Dreams, it was very much a first half to forget for large parts as the visitors took complete control of the contest from the off through their high pressing and fluid attacking movement.
Chances would prove to be few and far between for the Citizens, with their only two opportunities resulting in goals, but Pep Guardiola was the happier of the two managers even before De Bruyne’s eventual breakthrough goal 15 minutes into the match.
It was not a trademark Guardiola goal, as a simple punt up the field was flicked on by Iheanacho for De Bruyne to simply knock the ball past an embarrassed Daley Blind, with the Belgian superbly tucking the ball past David de Gea when clean through.
United, forced to feed off scraps and the occasional counter-attacking move, saw things get worse before they got better as the Citizens bagged a deserved second through Iheanacho’s tap-in from six yards out.
De Bruyne was again involved, doing his best to gain revenge on former boss, Jose Mourinho, by cutting inside and curling a shot back off the post for his teammate to fire into the back of the net, making it 31 goals in the last eight derby clashes at Old Trafford.
From being desperate to hear the half-time whistle to being on top, it was United who were the superior side from that point on as Zlatan Ibrahimovic saw a back-post header kept out by Bravo, before the ex-Barcelona stopper fluffed his lines yet again on the brink of the interval.
Bravo failed to collect the ball and allowing Jesse Lingard – back into the starting lineup alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan to provide some pace in attack – the chance to turn and shoot, but the returning midfielder failed to pick his spot under pressure.
United tails were up as they saw a couple of penalty appeals turned down, one of which involved Bravo again as he lunged in on Rooney studs first after losing possession with his feet.
Home supporters were celebrating wildly 20 minutes from time when Rashford, making the most of some hesitancy between John Stones and Bacary Sagna, raced in on goal and sent a shot into the back of the net.
Ibrahimovic got a telling touch from his offside position to help the ball past Bravo, however, meaning City still had a one-goal lead heading into a frenetic closing quarter.
The Citizens were creating chances galore on the counter as United pushed bodies forward in search of a leveller, but United themselves were getting crosses into the box which ultimately came to nothing to spark scenes of joy in the away end at Old Trafford.
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