The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same in Manchester. Years after the balance of power shifted in Manchester City’s direction, Pep Guardiola’s side lived up to the billing as the clear favorites in the derby with a 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday by taking advantage of the visitors’ persistent inability to defend, even with fresh faces in each side’s lineup.
There may have been just one point separating the rivals before the game kicked off but as the match started to play out, it felt as the gap between the teams’ overall qualities began to widen. Even as Erling Haaland earned a spot in the record books to go joint-top with City’s Sergio Aguero and United’s Wayne Rooney as the top Premier League goal scorer in the Manchester derby with his brace, defense was naturally the game’s main talking point, with both Guardiola and Ruben Amorim locking in new first-choice goalkeepers for the season.
City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and United’s Altay Bayindir could not have had more different experiences in their first Manchester derbies, the latest example in contrasts between two rivals that cannot help highlighting their differences.
Donnarumma, who played his first game for City, had almost nothing to do as the Red Devils’ unimpressive attack generated just two shots on target. The Italy international did make one impressive diving save in the second half on a shot from Bryan Mbeumo, easing his way into life in England ahead of stiffer tests in the UEFA Champions League against Napoli and Arsenal in the Premier League.
BRILLIANT Donnarumma save on his Man City debut! ❌ pic.twitter.com/yVn9zVDNjK — NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer)
The same was not true for Bayindir, who was slow to react to Foden’s first-half goal and could not keep up with Haaland’s second-half goals. That kind of play is becoming a pattern for the new United No. 1, who has struggled since taking the role at the start of the season.
United’s defense was shambolic during the match, leading to further issues for Bayindir. They often create chaos with defensive errors.
HAVE A DERBY DAY, ERLING HAALAND. 👏 pic.twitter.com/S1PtEhyQnd — NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer)
As Amorim faced yet another loss, questions arose about his future. A sloppy defense has been a predictable cost against City; it feels like this will continue to be a problem. The Red Devils, despite only playing six competitive games this season, have shown no signs of being better under Amorim. Their struggles in the Manchester derby—and beyond—illustrate much larger issues.
