Manchester City is back to winning ways. Manchester United is back to square one.
City utterly dominated the 197th Manchester derby on Sunday, winning 3-0 on another humbling day for United coach Ruben Amorim.
It could have been so much worse for the red half of Manchester, with Erling Haaland hitting the post and Tijjani Reijnders missing the target from close range as City threatened to turn it into a rout at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland scored twice in the second half, making it seven goals in a week following the five he hit for Norway against Moldova on Tuesday.
Phil Foden opened the scoring for City with a header in the 18th minute and Pep Guardiola’s team never looked back.
The win ended City’s two-game losing run in what has been a tricky start to the season. Defeat for United, meanwhile, sees Amorim’s problems quickly mount in a campaign that has already seen his team suffer a humiliating exit from the English League Cup against fourth-tier Grimsby.
United have won just once in five games in all competitions this season - a 3-2 win against Burnley, which required a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes.
The latest setback came in front of glum-looking co-owner Jim Ratcliffe.
Meanwhile, Liverpool left it late again and moved back to the top of the Premier League.
The defending champion secured a 1-0 win against Burnley and preserved its 100% start to the season thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Mohamed Salah.
“We don’t give up. We just try to push ourselves and our team to the limit,” Salah told Sky Sports.
After late winners against Bournemouth and Newcastle already this term, Liverpool staged another dramatic finale at Turf Moor.
Arne Slot's team looked set to drop points for the first time this season, but was handed a lifeline when Hannibal Mejbri handled the ball in the box and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.
Salah did the rest by blasting a powerful shot past Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka before running away in celebration.
Salah’s goal came in the fifth minute of stoppage time and he took sole possession of fourth place in all-time Premier League scorers. The Egyptian is now on 188 goals — behind Alan Shearer (260), Harry Kane (213) and Wayne Rooney (208).
Late joy for Liverpool was yet more late pain for Burnley. The newly promoted side lost 3-2 against Manchester United in its last game — also from a stoppage-time penalty.
Relief for Slot
According to Premier League statistician Opta, Liverpool is the first team in the division to score winning goals in the final 10 minutes or later in four successive games.
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