As Pep joins the derby pantheon, Amorim finds no case for the defence

UNITED THEY FALL: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim applauds the fans following the Premier League match at Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire

Manchester City 3 Manchester United 0 

Peo Guardiola placed himself firmly in the pantheon of greats when it comes to Manchester derby managers but it looks increasingly unlikely that Ruben Amorim will be afforded a chance to stake his claim to join them.

Inspired by two goals from Erling Haaland, the Manchester City head coach secured his 10th and arguably easiest victory against the old enemy to leave him behind only Old Trafford legends Alex Ferguson and Matt Busby when it comes to navigating a way past the noisy neighbours.

Amorim, who at least has something in common with Ferguson in that he has overseen the club's joint-worst start to a Premier League season - on the back of the last shambolic campaign - looks almost nailed-on to become the latest to try and fail to emerge from the enormous shadow cast by the reverend Scot.

The Portuguese spoke of getting back to work on the training ground, but whether he receives a metaphorical tap on the shoulder before then looks a very real prospect.

Defending players who didn't deserve such courtesy, he said: "It's my fault, not the players' and I am fine with that. We can do better, that is clear because we suffered goals we can avoid. In this kind of game we need to be perfect but in this game we weren't perfect. We need to work on a lot of things before the next game.

"I'm not going to defend myself, it's always the same question. We're building things but of course we need to win."

This was a Manchester derby without a single yellow card. Make of that what you will.

Haaland left beleaguered Amorim punch-drunk as the hosts 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 stopped it long before Haaland was taken off near the end to spare them further punishment.

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. "I had 100 per cent extra motivation going into the game," he said. "That goal was for Ricky, his family and for the people suffering right now. It wasn't a pretty match but it was all for him."

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 eight minutes into the second-half 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 with a little over 20 minutes left.

As he struggled to deal with Shaw's hospital pass, substitute Harry Maguire surrendered possession on halfway. 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 for his 11th goal in six games for club and country this season.

He said: "We needed this result, you could feel it from the fans so I'm relieved and super happy. Now we have to keep it going."

Tijjani Reijnders should have made it four but 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 to perfectly sum-up his side's woeful afternoon. Guardiola added his name to the tributes for Hatton and he added: "To see our fans so happy is a privilege on a special day."

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).

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).

Referee: Anthony Taylor