Manchester City restored their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a convincing 4-1 victory over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.
Two goals from Kevin De Bruyne either side of Jadon Sancho's equaliser saw Man City go into the break with a 2-1 lead following a captivating first half which saw both sides impress.
However, it was one-way traffic in the second half as Man City utterly dominated their local rivals, with Riyad Mahrez helping himself to a brace to ultimately reflect that in the scoreline.
Man United were without Cristiano Ronaldo through injury and notably left Marcus Rashford on the bench, but they more than held their own during the first half.
Man City's class told in the second 45 minutes, though, as the Red Devils failed to lay a glove on the hosts, who end a run of three successive home defeats in the Manchester derby courtesy of today's win.
Pep Guardiola's side now sit six points clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, while Man United remain outside the Champions League places after being knocked down to fifth by Arsenal earlier in the day.
HIGHLIGHTS
5th min: Man City take the lead after just five minutes as Bernardo Silva pulls a low pass back into the box which Kevin De Bruyne meets with an assured finish, taking advantage of some sleepy Man United defending.
City strike first in the Manchester derby! 🔵
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 6, 2022
Kevin de Bruyne slots the ball through Harry Maguire's legs and past David de Gea! pic.twitter.com/XVSIzbfRCT
8th min: Big chance for Man United to provide an instant response as Bruno Fernandes slips a pass in to Fred, who shows good feet to beat a man but is then thwarted by a smothering Ederson save.
19th min: De Bruyne bursts into the box and fires off a low shot which David de Gea reacts smartly to push away. He can only push it back out into the area, but Harry Maguire gets to it before Phil Foden.
22nd min: Manchester United equalise on the counter as Paul Pogba plays the ball through for Jadon Sancho, who uses an overlapping run as a decoy before cutting inside and curling an accurate finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Manchester United are level and it's Jadon Sancho, the former Manchester City youngster with the goal! 👀
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 6, 2022
The Manchester United winger curls the ball home following a swift counter-attack! pic.twitter.com/TCWLyg807b
26th min: Foden reacts well to get his head to a Bernardo cross, sending a header looping onto the top of the crossbar with De Gea scrambling.
28th min: Man City regain the lead as Fred gives the ball away in a dangerous position, allowing the hosts to pounce. Foden brilliantly flicks the ball past Victor Lindelof on his way into the box but sees his effort well saved by De Gea, before Bernardo's follow-up is also blocked. However, the ball eventually falls to De Bruyne, who puts it away with aplomb at the third time of asking for Man City.
And Manchester City re-take the lead! 🔵
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 6, 2022
Kevin De Bruyne grabs his second of the game from close range, as the hosts go into a 2-1 lead! Keep your eyes out for that flick from Phil Foden in the build-up! pic.twitter.com/Owaj7NdlAk
40th min: De Bruyne turns provider this time, releasing Foden in the box, but the England international pulls his shot wide.
41st min: Sancho should level things up once again as Man United work the ball well to him inside the box, only for the winger to balloon his shot high and wide of the target.
45th min: Riyad Mahrez cuts inside from the right flank and gets a low shot away which De Gea does well to save down to his right.
62nd min: De Bruyne thumps a free kick past the wall from right on the edge of the box, but it is straight at De Gea, who saves.
69th min: De Bruyne floats a corner to the edge of the box, where Mahrez is in acres of space. The Algerian still has a lot to do, but he meets the corner with a brilliantly-controlled first-time half volley which takes a slight deflection on its way into the bottom corner.
RIYAD MAHREZ TAKE A BOW. @ManCityUS lead 3-1.
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) March 6, 2022
📺: @USA_Network, & @Telemundo #MyPLMorning \\ #MCIMUN \\ #ManchesterDerby pic.twitter.com/icz9iqV6Km
73rd min: Man City pour forward again as De Bruyne slides a pass to Mahrez, whose right-footed shot is beaten away by De Gea.
81st min: The ball is floated over to Joao Cancelo, who meets it with a superb acrobatic volley which De Gea needs to push away.
89th min: Grealish gets to the byline and pulls the ball back into the box for Ilkay Gundogan in space, but he fluffs his lines and drags a scuffed effort wide.
90+2 min: Man City have the ball in the back of the net again as Gundogan slides a ball through for Mahrez, who fires past an injured De Gea. The flag goes up to initially chalk it off, but a VAR review rules that the Algerian was being played on by the back foot of Alex Telles.
IT'S FOUR! 😮
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 6, 2022
Riyad Mahrez adds his second goal of the game, after a VAR review shows he was onside, and wraps up the win for Manchester City! pic.twitter.com/EtzXATxfxp
MAN OF THE MATCH - KEVIN DE BRUYNE
© Reuters
The best player on the park by a mile today, Kevin De Bruyne ran the show at the Etihad Stadium with a midfield masterclass which was capped by two goals and an assist.
Both of his finishes were confident, assured ones, while his assist for Mahrez's superb strike helped Man City gain a cushion which made the final 20 minutes far more comfortable for the hosts.
The Belgian was involved in everything good that Man City did and, while there were plenty of good performances in a thoroughly entertaining match, De Bruyne stood head and shoulders above the rest.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
The pick of the goals was undoubtedly Mahrez's half-volley, which he took with breathtaking ease for such a difficult finish.
The corner was delivered with all of the accuracy you would expect from De Bruyne, but it was all about the finish and Mahrez's controlled half-volley was sublime.
Man City's top scorer this season was not as heavily involved as some of the other attackers throughout the game, but he provided the moment of magic when it mattered.
BEST STAT
⚽️⚽️ Most goals in all competitions for a PL club since the start of December
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 6, 2022
13 Riyad Mahrez
10 Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah pic.twitter.com/tklTT2XRYL
MATCH STATS
Possession: Man City 69%-31% Man United
Shots: Man City 24-5 Man United
Shots on target: Man City 10-2 Man United
Corners: Man City 9-3 Man United
Fouls: Man City 10-14 Man United
LINEUPS
MAN CITY (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne (Gundogan 80'), Rodri, Bernardo; Mahrez, Foden, Grealish
MAN UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Telles; McTominay, Fred; Elanga (Lingard 64'), Pogba (Rashford 64'), Sancho; Fernandes
Barney Corkhill
