Manchester City thrashed Manchester United 4-1 in the Premier League on Sunday thanks to an imperious performance at the Etihad Stadium.
Sergio Aguero gave the Blues an early lead before Yaya Toure doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time.
Aguero then found the net again moments after the restart as City took firm control against their local rivals, while Samir Nasri made it 4-0 with just 50 minutes on the clock.
Wayne Rooney grabbed a late consolation for the visitors, but it failed to mask their sub-par display.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the action unfolded.
It's here. The game of the weekend has arrived. It's Manchester City versus Manchester United in the Premier League.
We've got some team news in...
MAN CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov; Nasri, Fernandinho, Toure, Navas; Aguero, Negredo
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has made one change to the side that beat Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League in midweek as Alvaro Negredo replaces Edin Dzeko.
MAN UTD XI: De Gea; Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Smalling; Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Valencia; Rooney, Welbeck
The big team news concerning Manchester United is that Robin van Persie is out of the starting lineup through injury. Danny Welbeck replaces the Dutch striker, while Ashley Young comes in for Shinji Kagawa in the visitors' only other change.
MAN CITY SUBS: Pantilimon, Lescott, Richards, Garcia, Milner, Jovetic, Dzeko
MAN UTD SUBS: Amos, Buttner, Evans, Cleverley, Nani, Kagawa, Hernandez
Both teams have a wealth of quality on their respective benches, but the loss of Van Persie is a big one for United.
Just what kind of effect will that have on this match today? The Dutch striker has been in typically fearsome form so far this season and had a huge part to play in this fixture last season when he scored the winner in a 3-2 victory for the Red Devils.
For those who have short memories, here's the highlights of United's 3-2 win. Excuse the excitable foreign commentary:
That was just one of a number of classic encounters between these two bitter rivals down the years. These games are usually tempestuous, tense and with plenty of action at either end. To get a taste of the history of this fixture, you can check out what we think are the top five Manchester derbies here.
Looking at the present, City and United have had mixed starts to the season. The two teams have each taken seven points from their first four matches, with two wins one draw and one defeat for both.
UPDATE: Today's two early matches in the Premier League have ended and it's good news for Arsenal and Swansea City. The Gunners have beaten Stoke City 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium, while Swansea have seen off Crystal Palace 2-0 on home turf.
Incidentally, that win for Arsenal has seen Arsene Wenger's side go to the top of the Premier League table. You can see the full standings here.
Anyway, back to all things Manchester derby. The two teams start the day on the back of good wins in the Champions League in midweek. City saw off Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in the Czech Republic, while United beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 at Old Trafford. No doubt both sets of players will be full of confidence, but there are sure to be one or two nerves as well.
UPDATE: United boss David Moyes has just confirmed that Van Persie is sidelined with a groin strain. However, he's described the injury as "nothing serious".
HEAD TO HEAD: United have had the edge over the local rivals down the years, winning 65 out of 156 matches. Meanwhile City have triumphed on 42 occasions and there have been 49 draws. The first meeting was way back in 1894 when United, then known as Newton Heath, beat City 5-2 in the Second Division.
As mentioned previously, United triumphed 3-2 in this fixture last season, but City got their revenge late in the campaign when Sergio Aguero's superb solo strike earned the Blues a 2-1 win at Old Trafford.
It's been perfectly even between the teams in their last six meeting with three wins apiece, the most memorable of those being the 6-1 hammering of United by City at Old Trafford in October 2011.
One interesting stat for today is that Wayne Rooney will become the leading goalscorer in this fixture if he finds the net. The England striker currently has seven goals to his name against City.
Ten minutes until this one gets and underway and the Etihad Stadium is bubbling nicely.
The players emerge from the tunnel to a fevered reception from the fans inside the ground. What an atmosphere!
The pre-match rituals have been done and it will be Manchester City to get this derby underway. Here we go!
United have started brightly in these opening stages, with Welbeck having a couple of sniffs of goal. The striker got muscled out by Kompany in one instant before slipping on the edge of the box soon after.
CHANCE! City get their first shot on goal as a poor pass from Vidic gives the ball to Navas, but the Spaniard fires over from around 20 yards.
YELLOW CARD: Matija Nastasic is the first player to go into the book this afternoon for clattering into Smalling when the pair were battling for the ball in the air. A few of the City players aren't happy with that decision.
City's passing hasn't quite been up to scratch so far, it must be said. A few players have given the ball away cheaply, upsetting the home fans in the process.
CHANCE! Aguero plays in Kolarov down the left, but the defender's fierce effort is cut out by Vidic. City get a corner out of it that comes to nothing as De Gea punches the ball clear.
The home side are starting to crank up the pressure now, pushing further into the United half with intent. However, the visiting defence is standing firm for now, getting rid of any danger coming their way.
A bit of a flashpoint there as Rooney avoids a booking after kicking the ball at Aguero following a stop in play. The United striker knew he was in the wrong instantly before getting a talking to from referee Howard Webb.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 MAN UTD (SERGIO AGUERO)
Man City lead and it's Aguero with a lovely finish! Kolarov was set free down the left side before crossing the ball into the box, and there was the Argentine to flick the ball with finesse past the helpless De Gea. First blood to the home side!
CHANCE! City nearly make it 2-0 thanks to a stinging volley from Nasri. The ball fell to the Frenchman inside the penalty area, but he can only lash it narrowly over the crossbar. The hosts are well on top here.
Rooney and Kompany are having a right ding-dong at the moment. The pair have clashed a couple of times in the last few moments, leading to Howard Webb having a quiet word. We haven't heard that last of that.
PENALTY SHOUT! City want a penalty as Kolarov goes down in the area, but play is waved on. In fairness it would have been a soft one.
The home side are looking very comfortable indeed at the moment. They are passing the ball around beautifully, while United are struggling to get a touch.
PENALTY SHOUT! City want another penalty as Negredo's shot hits the arm of Ferdinand. Nothing doing there though as the United defender had no time to get out of the way.
YELLOW CARD: It's been coming. Rooney finally goes into the book for taking down Kompany.
The visitors finally get some possession down the left side, but their attack comes to an end when Evra fails to keep the ball in play following Fellaini's heavy pass. The champions are just about hanging in there at the moment.
United are enjoying a bit more of the ball now. They've strung a couple of nice moves together in the last few moments, but there's still a lack of penetration in the final third. Rooney is the latest player to try to make something happen, but his pass to Welbeck has too much on it and goes through to Hart.
CHANCE! Negredo has an audacious go from about 30 yards that gets deflected wide. However, City fail to make anything out of the resulting corner before another gets cleared by United.
That's poor from Young. The United winger has plenty to aim for in the box, only for his cross to go straight into the arms of Hart.
CHANCE! United surge forward with a few bodies, but the attack comes to an end as Valencia drags a tame effort wide of goal. The visitors are finishing the half in the ascendancy.
One minute added time.
GOAL! MAN CITY 2-0 MAN UTD (YAYA TOURE)
What a time to score for the home side as they double their lead through Toure! Negredo flicks the ball on from a corner, and the City midfielder is there to prod the ball home from close range. What a decisive moment that could be!
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 2-0 MAN UTD
Referee Howard Webb blows the whistle for half time and it's Manchester City who lead 2-0 in the derby. Sergio Aguero gave them an early lead before Yaya Toure doubled their advantage with almost the final kick of the half. It's a long way back for United now.
The home side were dominant in that opening 45 minutes before United came back into it late on. However, the visitors have offered very little in attack and are deservedly behind. What will David Moyes be saying to his players at half time?
It will be interesting to see if Moyes makes any changes at the break. He has plenty of talent on the bench, but he may give the current lineup a few minutes after the break to prove themselves.
Right, the players are back out and it will be United to start the second half. No changes for either side.
GOAL! MAN CITY 3-0 MAN UTD (SERGIO AGUERO)
That could well be the match for Man City as Aguero makes it 3-0 almost instantly after the restart. Negredo showed good strength down the left, crossing for his strike partner to tap in with not a defender in sight.
Tom Cleverley looks like he might be coming on for the visitors, who are in desperate need of some inspiration from somewhere.
GOAL! MAN CITY 4-0 MAN UTD (SAMIR NASRI)
It's another goal for Man City as Nasri converts at the back from Navas's cross. The Spanish winger was allowed to keep running there and United were duly punished. This is starting to get embarrassing for the away side.
SUBSTITUTION: Here is that change for United, their first of the match, as Cleverley replaces Young.
United have a rare attack as Valencia bombs down the right wing, but his cross is cut out by Kompany with Rooney about to pull the trigger.
CHANCE! United have their best chance of getting on the scoresheet so far, but Rooney somehow fires over from 12 yards. Smalling's cross ran through to the striker, who got underneath the ball when he really should be getting it on target.
Weirdly enough, the visitors are having probably their best spell of the match so far at the moment. They're attacking with a bit more fluidity, while using the pitch a lot better than before.
Something of a half-chance for United as Welbeck is picked out wonderfully by Carrick before seeing his shot deflect off Nastasic and gathered by Hart.
United get a free kick about 20 yards from goal following a foul on Welbeck by Nastasic, but Rooney's poor effort goes straight into the wall before City get rid of the danger.
OVER! The visitors show plenty of patience around the penalty area as they try to build an attack before the ball comes to Welbeck. However, he can only smash the ball well over the crossbar from the edge of the box.
SAVE! United come close through a curling effort from Fellaini, but Hart is there to keep the ball out of the top corner. The City shotstopper has had very little to do this afternoon.
YELLOW CARD: What a silly booking for Valencia. The United winger is refused a penalty after going down under the attention of Kolarov, leading him to complain to Howard Webb. Webb has none of it and brings out the yellow card.
SUBSTITUTION: City make their first change of the match now as James Milner replaces Jesus Navas. Twenty minutes of normal time remaining.
SUBSTITUTION: Another swap for City here, with Edin Dzeko coming on for Alvaro Negredo.
One player who has disappointed for United today is Fellaini. The summer signing has looked very slow in midfield, often losing possession or miscontrolling the ball. It's early days in his United career but an improvement on this display will be demanded by David Moyes.
SAVE! A moment of panic for United there as De Gea fumbles Dzeko's strike before scrambling to gather the ball before it trickles behind him.
OFF THE POST! United nearly get a consolation goal through Evra, but the defender heads the ball against the post from Rooney's corner. There's a bit of pinball in the City area after that, but the men in blue manage to see off the danger.
SUBSTITUTION: City make their final change of the afternoon as Javi Garcia replaces Sergio Aguero. The Argentine goes off to a wonderful reception thanks to his two goals.
GOAL! MAN CITY 4-1 MAN UTD (WAYNE ROONEY)
United get their goal and it's Rooney who has it with a superb free kick. The striker becomes this fixture's all time leading scorer with that effort, which he curled over the wall and into the top corner. He's been United's best player today.
Three minutes added time.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 4-1 MAN UTD
The full-time whistle goes and Manchester City get the bragging rights thanks to an emphatic 4-1 win over Manchester United. The Blues were imperious throughout and thoroughly deserved their victory. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure put them 2-0 up at the break before goals from Aguero and Samir Nasri made it 4-0. Wayne Rooney grabbed a consolation late on for the visitors, but it was not enough.
Anyway, that's all from me for today. Don't forget that you can catch all of the reaction from today's matches right here on Sports Mole, so stick around and have yourself a look. Thank you very much for your company and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
