MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland fired 10-man Manchester City to a memorable1-OvictoryoverManchester United despite Phil Foden’s first-half red card to extend a perfect start to Enzo Maresca’s reign.
Foden kicked out at United captain Bruno Fernandes on 23 minutes to give the visitors a mountain to climb.
But a new-look City were up to the challenge as the near £250 million midfield pairing of Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez proved their worth.
Haaland’s winner was laced with controversy as Fernandez was deemed not to be interfering with play when he attempted to head in before the ball reached the Norwegian.
Defeat compounds a miserable Premier League start for United as they are already eight points adrift of City and defending champions Arsenal.
The visitors had made the better start in the opening quarter but looked to have been completely undone by Foden’s ill discipline.
City will argue Fernandes should also have seen red as he fouled Foden and then kicked him in the back.
But there was little case for Foden’s defence as he retaliated by throwing both legs up into Fernandes’s midriff.
Kobbie Mainoo blocked Rayan Cherki’s goalbound effort before Youri Tielemans nearly sliced Antoine Semenyo’s cross into his own net as City continued to be the more threatening.
Marcus Rashford was inches away from his first United goal since December 2024 when his free-kick came crashing back off the post with United’s best effort before the break.
The woodwork came to City’s rescue again just after half-time when Mainoo curled onto the post from distance and the ball rebounded kindly into Gianluigi Donnarumma’s grasp.
But the City sucker punch arrived on the hour mark.
Haaland adjusted his body brilliantly to sweep in Josko Gvardiol’sdeflected cross.
A VAR review deemed Haaland was onside and that Fernandez was not interfering as he stooped to try and head in himself.
City came close to landing the telling blow when Fernandez’s effort was turned onto the post by Senne Lammens.
Haaland also should have had a second when he got onto Fernandez’s wicked low free-kick delivery.
City, though, were not made to pay for failing to add a second as United lacked the composure and quality to make the man advantage count until the final minute of stoppage time.
Fernandes’s reverse ball perfectly picked out Bryan Mbeumo but he was denied by a fine save from Donnarumma.
Maresca scampered down the touchline in delight at full-time.
FIVE-STAR BRIGHTON CRUSH COVENTRY Brighton thrashed 10-man Coventry 5-0 on Sunday to move into fourth place and leave Frank Lampard’s side rooted to the bottom of the table.
Charalampos Kostoulas put Brighton ahead in the first half and Malick Yalcouye doubled their lead soon after the interval.
Coventry striker Taiwo Awoniyi was sent off for violent conduct in the second half.
Pascal Gross netted from the penalty spot and Lewis Dunk curled home from long-range.
Yasin Ayari wrapped up Brighton’s emphatic victory as Coventry’s frustrated fans flooded to the exits well before the final whistle.
Coventry are still looking for first Premier League goal since 2001 after going scoreless while losing their first four top-flight matches this season.
Lampard’s men are the only Premier League team without a point this season.
Brighton are into the top four after winning for the second time this termand the first since their 4-0 rout of Aston Villa on the opening weekend.
Brighton took the lead in the 35th minute thanks to Kostoulas’s inspired moment.
The teenage Greek striker astutely nodded Gross’s pass beyond two Coventry defenders and turned to drill a fine finish past Carl Rushworth.
Ephron Mason-Clark squandered a chance to haul Coventry level immediately after the interval, scuffing straight at Verbruggen from close-range.
Yalcouye made Coventry pay for that miss, accelerating away from the defence to double Brighton’s advantage with a clinical strike in the 51st minute.
A miserable day for Coventry took a turn for the worse two minutes later when Awoniyi was dismissed for clattering Maxim de Cuyper in the face with his elbow.
Brighton piled on the misery for Lampard, netting for the third time in the 70th minute.
Bobby Thomas’s foul on Kostoulas conceded a penalty that Gross slotted home with ease.
Dunk scored the goal of the day in the 83rd minute, curling a spectacular effort into the top corner from 25 yards.
Ayari put the seal on Brighton’s rampant performance in stoppage-time as he whipped a composed low strike past Rushworth.
Late on Saturday, Arsenal maintained their perfect start to the season as keeper David Raya saved a penalty and Bruno Guimaraes scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory at Sunderland to move clear at the top of the Premier League.
Raya rescued Arsenal by pushing Enzo Le Fee’s spot kick against the post in the 55th minute and two minutes later summer signing Guimaraes curled the reigning champions ahead.
Tottenham’s wait for a league goal went on despite a £300 million splurge on new players as they drew another blank in a stalemate with Everton.-Agencies