Manchester City claimed victory in yesterday’s Manchester derby with a 3-nil win over Manchester United. A first-half goal from Phil Foden and a second-half brace from Erling Haaland were enough for City to pick up three points at the Etihad Stadium. It wasn’t Manchester City’s best performance, but they had more than enough quality to see off Ruben Amorim’s side. There was plenty to take from the game from a City point of view. How City took apart Ruben Amorim’s side in the second half stood out. It did leave you wondering: Was there a tactical shift from Pep Guardiola at halftime of yesterday’s match?
Manchester City picked Manchester United apart on the break in the second half.
At halftime of yesterday’s match, Manchester City had a 1-nil lead over Manchester United. Pep Guardiola’s side was the better side in a tense first half. Phil Foden’s 18th minute goal gave City the lead, and they had 61% of the possession in the first half. City also had four shots compared to United’s one and should have led by more at halftime. The best way to describe Manchester City’s first-half performance was that it was a typical Pep Guardiola team performance. The contrast came during the second half.
Manchester United had to chase the game in the second half. Ruben Amorim’s side needed a goal to get back into proceedings. That didn’t come as Erling Haaland’s goal in the 52nd minute put the game to bed. His second goal and City’s third goal ended the game as a contest in the 68th minute. But what stood out was how Pep Guardiola’s side played in the second half. Manchester United had 70% of possession in the second half, according to statistics from Sofascore. As Manchester United pressed forward to find a way back into the game, they left holes for City to exploit. Pep Guardiola’s side did that in emphatic fashion.
Manchester City made Manchester United wilt during the second half
Manchester City didn’t sit deep defensively or play with a low block. They were willing to give United possession and pick their moments when to press or break with ruthless precision. Erling Haaland was a beneficiary of this approach. In fact, he should’ve scored a second goal a minute after his first due to City’s high press. Erling Haaland’s second goal came after some clever City pressing and some poor Manchester United defending allowed Haaland acres of space to latch onto a Bernardo Silva ball over the top of the United defence. Tijjani Reijnders also put a good chance wide midway through the second half after being played in by Erling Haaland after City forced United into an error. It did seem that Pep Guardiola had tapped into a new tactic to unleash Manchester City’s pace and precision at the Etihad yesterday.
It’s what he does 🧘♂️😁
8️⃣ goals in 6️⃣ @premierleague derbies for @ErlingHaaland! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uLcISW3jbR
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 14, 2025
Pep Guardiola has a new resource to tap into with his new look squad.
This Manchester City squad is blessed with pace to hit teams on the break. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Oscar Bobb, Omar Marmoush, and Tijjani Reijnders are prime examples of this. They can all be devastating on the counter. The guile and creativity of Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and others could pick teams apart if there is space for them to break into. The second half of yesterday’s match allowed City to play this way. They did so in dominant fashion on their way to a decisive derby win.
Was a new tactical move from Pep Guardiola on display against Manchester United?
It will be interesting to see if Pep Guardiola adopts a similar approach in upcoming games. The game situation will likely dictate this, and who Manchester City are playing. Pep Guardiola’s principles won’t change, but it did seem like he made a profound tactical shift at halftime of yesterday’s match. Whether or not it is here to stay will be worth looking for across this season.