The Manchester derby on September 14, 2025, saw Manchester City defeat Manchester United 3-0, with Erling Haaland and Phil Foden leading the charge. City, after suffering successive Premier League defeats, showcased their quality, easing to victory over their rivals.
Phil Foden marked his first start of the season with a goal in the 18th minute, heading in a cross from Jeremy Doku. Doku's impressive play on the left wing created the opportunity for Foden, who guided the header beyond United's goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir.
Haaland scored City's second goal in the 53rd minute, chipping the ball over Bayindir after a move involving Nico O'Reilly, Foden, and Doku. Haaland then sealed the victory with his second goal in the 68th minute, outpacing Harry Maguire to latch onto a through ball from Bernardo Silva and slotting past Bayindir. He has 50 home goals from 50 Premier League appearances. Only Alan Shearer reached that milestone faster.
City dominated United from the kickoff, with Haaland firing a shot just off-target within the first 15 seconds. City's new goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, made his debut and secured a clean sheet with an outstanding save. United's attack struggled to create clear-cut chances, with Donnarumma tipping Bryan Mbeumo's volley past the post.
The win marked a significant milestone for Pep Guardiola, his 600th top-flight game as a manager. His teams have now scored 1,501 goals in those matches. City climbed to eighth in the league standings, while United are in 14th place.
Foden's goal was his seventh in Manchester derbies, while Haaland's brace took his tally to eight. Incredibly, 15 of City's last 17 league goals against United have been scored by either Haaland (eight) or Foden (seven).
Haaland said that the team and fans needed this win and that the team has to keep going. Bruno Fernandes urged his Manchester United teammates to "take more risks and be braver" after their defeat in the Manchester derby.