Haaland fires 10-man City to controversial victory over United in Manchester derby

[p]The 199th competitive Manchester Derby was expected to produce fireworks, but the opening 20 minutes were rather tepid compared to what was widely expected.[/p][p]However, that all changed midway through the first half, as a coming together between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandes-bruno/GYvAMDm2/"]Bruno Fernandes[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/foden-phil/E7XjDJns/"]Phil Foden[/a] saw the former initially appearing to kick the latter while he was down on the turf.[/p][p][b]Yet, in a scene similar to the one involving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]United[/a] legend David Beckham at France ’98, it was the floored [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] man who was dismissed, following his petulant two-footed kick to Fernandes’ stomach in response.[/b][/p][p]City boss Enzo Maresca said he wanted his side to “embrace the chaos” pre-match, and there was likely to be plenty of that after Foden became the first City player since 2006 to be sent off in a Manchester derby.[/p][p]United were never truly able to take advantage of their numerical superiority in the short term, but they did come close to breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rashford-marcus/COnT2Lh0/"]Marcus Rashford[/a]’s 25-yard free-kick crashed away off the post with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donnarumma-gianluigi/WScbdXmL/"]Gianluigi Donnarumma[/a] beaten.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="4c41adab-15ca-4277-b4b6-cc345c8c0f0d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="324f55e5-55c2-455e-9b7b-6923658f9d46" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The woodwork was reverberating again five minutes after the restart, this time through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mainoo-kobbie/nBy3DbC3/"]Kobbie Mainoo[/a], whose 25-yard strike crashed back off the upright with a desperate Donnarumma beaten once more.[/p][p]Yet for all the pressure they were applying to City’s goal, it was the 10 men from the blue half of Manchester who took the lead. [/p][p][b]Controversy surrounded the goal too, as after being initially deemed to be offside, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a] was allowed to celebrate for a second time after he was confirmed to have been onside as he converted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gvardiol-josko/86K1f1fd/"]Josko Gvardiol[/a]’s delivery despite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-enzo/nZnbEVWP/"]Enzo Fernandez[/a]’s unsuccessful attempt to make contact with the cross from an offside position.[/b][/p][p]City’s £125m man was taking centre stage and came close to doubling their advantage moments later when his curling effort was tipped onto the post by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a].[/p][p]Aside from a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbeumo-bryan/8KDrOl80/"]Bryan Mbeumo[/a] header and a Fernandes pot-shot from distance, United rarely threatened Donnarumma’s goal after falling behind and City held on to not only stretch their unbeaten away run to eight matches, but move back into a joint share of the Premier League lead. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-nunes/bXbvxFWS/"]Matheus Nunes[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="24ab6c6a-9949-49d3-ab5d-72970b0b8dc6" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="54c1dc78-f813-478f-9ae2-6649eb09d8cd" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/?mid=0YOA44w3"]Catch up on the match here.[/a] [/b][/p]