TWO boyhood Blues paid the perfect derby day tribute to Ricky Hatton.
Manchester said an emotional farewell to one of their favourite sons just hours after the death of ‘the Hitman’ was announced.
And no doubt he would have smiling down as his beloved City piled more misery on United and their boss Ruben Amorim.
Phil Foden – a boxing fan who came through the academy here – started things off by nodding in his first of the season.
After the break Erling Haaland – who has been a City supporter all his life – added two more and should really have had yet another hat-trick.
The pair have made a habit of scoring against the Red Devils so it was a painfully familiar tale for the visitors.
Just 18 minutes had gone when Jeremy Doku put the burners on and surged into United’s area and saw his first cross blocked.
However he picked himself up and hung up a cross that Foden ran onto and steered his header beyond the reach of Altay Bayindir.
Foden and Doku were involved again as the Belgian slipped a pass through to Haaland who held off Luke Shaw clipped the ball over Bayindir.
Once again it was painfully predictable for the travelling Reds – this is the seventh time Haaland has scored in the derby.
The Norwegian should have finished the game off moments later as he again ran onto Doku’s pass and went round Bayindir.
Matthijs De Ligt managed to get back but the forward would have expected to score as he poked his shot against the post.
New boy Bryan Mbeumo could have brought United back into it but debutant keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a flying one handed save.
Guardiola said on Friday he had signed the Italian because he is huge – he needed all of his 6ft 5in frame to keep that one out. That’s why they’ve signed him.
It proved to be a key moment as minutes later Bernardo Silva sent Haaland racing clear once again.
He’d timed his run perfectly as he started it in his own half and he took his time before confidently beating the United keeper.
United should know by now – the former Borussia Dortmund forward does not let you off the hook very often. That’s five for the season already for the City forward.
Tijjani Reijnders wasted a golden chance to make the scoreline even more emphatic when he ran clear but clipped his effort just wide.
Mbeumo and Casemiro both had opportunities to grab a consolation but another uncomfortable few days beckon for their Portuguese boss.
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