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Manchester. — Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City inflicted more pain on Manchester United with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford yesterday to close within two points of English Premier League leaders Tottenham.
Haaland slotted home from the penalty spot and headed in a second just after halftime before setting up Phil Foden for City’s third.
City began the match outside the top four after an indifferent start to their title defence. But Pep Guardiola’s men remain the favourites for an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title and showed they are a class apart from their local rivals as they moved up to third.
A fifth defeat in 10 league games this season leaves United down in eighth, 11 points off the top.
“Always it is special for us to win here at Old Trafford,” said Guardiola.
“It looks easy but it is not. (We have) a lot of respect for United. We were at our best, especially in the second half.”
United great Bobby Charlton was again remembered before kick-off as legends from both clubs that played with and against the 1966 World Cup winner were welcomed onto the pitch before a minute’s applause.
But hostilities were restored once the action got underway.
After a miserable start to the season, United had won their previous three games but in unconvincing fashion against Brentford, Sheffield United and FC Copenhagen.
This was the real test of any renaissance by Erik ten Hag’s men and they were found wanting despite City taking 45 minutes to hit their stride.
CONTROVERSIAL PENALTY
However, Ten Hag claimed it was the controversial award of a penalty midway through the first half that changed the course of the game.
“The first half we played very good, we defended very well. We had good breaks, good opportunities but we could have taken more benefit. Then the penalty changes the game.”
Andre Onana saved a penalty with the last kick of the game to secure a vital Champions League win over Copenhagen in midweek that could prove the turning point in his United career after a difficult start.
Elsewhere, Goals from Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Salah gave Liverpool a comfortable 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield that lifted the Reds to 23 points, three behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur.
Forest came to pack their defence and hit on the break, and though they kept it tight for the opening half-hour, they were soon behind thanks to a classic counter-attack from the home side.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s search for a return to winning ways in the Premier League continues after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at the Amex Stadium.
After three league games without a win, a dominant first-half performance where Evan Ferguson scored his fifth goal of the season in the 26th minute looked to have set up Brighton to claim victory, but Joao Palhinha equalised in the 65th minute. — SuperSport.
Online Reporter