Ruthless Haaland helps to heap the misery on Amorim's shoddy United

For the eighth time in nine derbies City's prolific talisman found the net to provide a fitting send-off following the untimely death of Ricky Hatton, one of the club's most fervent supporters aged 46.

THREE AND EASY: Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Premier League match at Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire

Manchester City 3 Manchester United 0 

TWO-goal Erling Haaland left beleaguered Ruben Amorim punch-drunk as Manchester City paid the perfect tribute to Ricky Hatton.

For the eighth time in nine derbies City's prolific talisman found the net to provide a fitting send-off following the untimely death of the former world boxing champion and one of the club's most fervent supporters aged 46.

But for a stunning save midway through the second-half from City's debutant keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Bryan Mbeumo, United barely laid a glove on their most fierce of foe. Had it been a boxing match, they'd have called it off long before Haaland was taken off near the end to spare them further punishment.

Quite where United and Amorim go from here is anyone's guess but a parting of the ways looks more likely with every passing abject, listless and frankly embarrassing display under the Portuguese.

City have lost only once in 58 games when taking the lead at the Etihad - ironically against United nine months ago - but they rarely looked like relinquishing the upper hand given them by Phil Foden - like Hatton Stockport -born and through and through a blue.

The England midfielder, making his first start of the season, headed home an 18th minute cross from the excellent Jeremy Doku after the winger, aided by some criminally negligent defending from Luke Shaw, jinked past two defenders to put over an inviting centre at the second attempt. Foden's first goal since January was his seventh against the old enemy.

Haaland fired inches wide from a narrow angle in an early warning to United and it came as some surprise that the Norwegian had to wait until the 53rd minute to finally open his account.

A throw down City's left led to some neat interplay between Nico O'Reilly and Doku for the latter to thread a ball through for Haaland - who treated a half-hearted Shaw challenge as if it had come from a nine-year-old child before chipping his side's second over Altay Bayindir.

Haaland hit the inside of the post after more shambolic defensive work from the increasingly hapless visitors but his second and his team's third arrived soon after.

Substitute Harry Maguire surrendered possession on halfway and United's high defensive line was ruthlessly exploited by Bernardo Silva's pass for Haaland to sprint through and slide the ball into the bottom corner.

Tijjani Reijnders should have made it four from a near identical position to Haaland's second but by that stage it didn't really matter.

There was still time for Casemiro to miss from no more than two yards out as the substitute looked desperately for an offside flag to spare his blushes. There was none forthcoming and it perfectly summed up his side's woeful afternoon.

Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma 8; Khasanov 7, Ruben Dias 8, Gvardiol 8, O'Reilly 8; Rodri 7 (Gonzalez 76, 6); Bernardo Silva 8 (Ake 88, 6), Reijnders 6, Foden 8, Doku 8 (Savinho 77, 6); Haaland 9 (Bobb 87, 6). Booked:

Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Bayindi 4r; Yoro 4 (Maguire 62, 4), de Ligt 4, Shaw 2; Mazraoui 4 (Mainoo 62, 4), Bruno Fernandes 3, Ugarte 5 (Zirkzee 80, 5), Dorgu 4; Mbeumo 5, Diallo 5; Sesko 6 (Casemiro 80, 5). Booked:

Referee: Anthony Taylor