MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola is proud of turning City into the dominant footballing force in Manchester. Manager Guardiola’s seven years have brought 12 major trophies compared with United’s three and City maintained their local mastery with a decisive 3-0 Premier victory at Old Trafford.

United began the 190th derby having won their previous three matches in all competitions but City extended the gap between them to nine points with two goals from Erling Haaland and another from Phil Foden. Haaland unselfishly provided the assist for Foden when he could have tried to repeat his Old Trafford hat-trick of a year ago.

Gary Neville, old United hero and now Sky TV analyst, said: “City deserved that – and so did United.”

The manner of City’s victory illustrated the chasm between the teams in terms of not only trophies but quality, squad depth and confidence. City’s eighth win in 10 games was United’s fifth defeat. It was also City’s first clean sheet in seven matches.

City seized control after 26 minutes. Referee Paul Tierney awarded City a penalty following a check by VAR official Michael Oliver after Ramus Hojland was penalised for pulling back Rodri. Haaland converted his third penalty of the season and what was City’s first spot-kick at Old Trafford since April 1992.

United had chances but Ramus Hojlund lost control when clear shortly after City’s goal and Scott McTominay forced a fine save from Ederson.

United keeper Andre Onana denied Haaland in first half stoppage time but was helpless when the unmarked Norwegian headed home a Bernardo Silva cross five minutes after the interval for his 12th goal in all competitions. Silva had been magnificent, running City’s midfield in the continuing absence of Kevin de Bruyne who has not played since August because of a hamstring injury.

United manager Erik ten Hag looked to his substitutes’ bench for relief. At halftime he brought on Mason Mount for Sofyan Amrabat who is still struggling with the pace of Premier League football. Later Ten Hag provoked boos from United’s disappointed fans in the 73,502 crowd when he replaced Hojlund with Alejandro Garnacho. All in vain.

** Liverpool winger Luis Diaz was absent from their 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest after the kidnapping of his parents in Colombia. The 26-year-old’s mother was later freed but his father remained missing. Liverpool bought Diaz for £7.5m from Porto in January 2022. Manager Jurgen Klopp said: “It’s a worrying situation for all of us.”

Diogo Jota celebrated scoring Liverpool’s first goal by parading a shirt bearing Diaz’s name. Mo Salah scored his eighth goal of the season in a comfortable win. Jota said: “Luis had been with us in the hotel. He was going to play. I played instead of him. We wanted to show out support for him.”

** Aston Villa stayed fifth, potentially in the Champions League places under UEFA’s new system, by defeating struggling Luton 3-1. Scotland midfielder John McGinn delivered the first goal in leading Villa to a fifth win in six Premier

Matches. Moussa Diaby scored the second and forced an own goal from Luton captain Tom Lockyer for the third. Villa’s 12th home win has seen them score 34 goals and concede five.

** Everton manager Sean Dyche dedicated the 1-0 victory at West Ham to the memory of long-serving chairman Bill Kenwright who died last Monday. Everton achieved their second away win amid reports that they risk a 12-point Premier League punishment for breaching financial fair play regulations. The match winner was much-injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 50th in the league for Everton.

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