Erling Haaland proves Pep Guardiola's point as Man City batter Man Utd - 5 talking points

Phil Foden and Erling Haaland were once again Manchester United 's tormentors-in-chief as Manchester City cruised to a 3-0 win over their bitter rivals in the derby.

After a poignant - and exemplary - tribute from fans in both blue and red to boxing great Ricky Hatton following his sad death earlier in the day, City flew out of the blocks and almost took the lead inside 60 seconds when Haaland sent a strike narrowly wide of Altay Bayindir's post. The United keeper stood no chance, though, when Foden ghosted into the box to plant a header inside his far post 18 minutes in.

Foden and Haaland have both been prolific in recent derbies and it came as no surprise when the latter got in on the act shortly after the break following neat work from Nico O'Reilly, Foden and Jeremy Doku. The dazzling Doku grabbed his second assist of the afternoon by feeding City's imperious No 9, who made no mistake with a neat dink over Bayindir.

And it was Haaland who put the game to bed in the 68th minute when, after being played clean through with a run which started from his own half, he clinically threaded the ball into the bottom corner for his second goal.

On a week where Pep Guardiola unofficially coronated Haaland as the world's best striker amid suggestions from Arne Slot that Liverpool new boy Alexander Isak was, perhaps, top of the pops, Manchester City's goal machine emphatically proved his manager's point.

For a striker with such a phenomenal goal record since arriving in the Premier League, there's also been plenty of talk about his lack of involvement in games. But he had plenty of touches here (31 for anyone counting) and was just as influential in his own penalty area before dispatching two textbook finishes to consign United to a derby defeat, with his six clearances the best defensive contribution of anybody in a blue shirt.

With eight goals in nine games against City's bitter rivals it's no wonder Guardiola says he wouldn't change Haaland for anyone. On this showing, would anyone?

For someone who needed a fast start to the new Premier League campaign, Ruben Amorim has overseen just one win from Manchester United's first four games.

The Portuguese coach will be given time to get things right after United spent big on a new attack in the summer but this was not a derby day performance which will live long in the memory and few left an impression in their rivals' backyard.

United may have spurned a flurry of good opportunities in the final 15 minutes to bump their stats, but the game was already done as a contest. And more concerningly, they were shoddy in defence and midfield still looks an area of concern.

Per Opta, this is now United's worst start to a league season since they also mustered four points from their opening four games back in the 1992-93 campaign. And after spending more than £200m this summer, it feels like we still have more questions than answers when it comes to Amorim and this Manchester United team.

Foden has made a habit of scoring in Manchester derbies. But his seventh in as many fixtures could be his most important yet if it turns out to be the start of a renaissance for the influential attacking midfielder, who has not hit top form for club or country for quite some time. The fact that his goal here was his first since January tells the story.

A return to form would be most welcome for Guardiola, who has seen his all-conquering team turn mortal before his eyes over the last 12 months. Following Kevin de Bruyne's removal from the City throne this summer, the previously formidable former champions have a vacancy for a new kingpin. Foden, though always influential in his own right, had long been touted as De Bruyne's natural successor. He and City will hope Sunday's latest derby moment will turn out to be the prelude to that.

The talk in the build-up of this was largely over who would start in goal for both teams. And while Gianluigi Donnarumma and Altay Bayindir got the nod between the sticks, only one is likely to stay there.

Donnarumma is widely regarded as one of the world's best keepers and arrives at The Etihad off the back of conquering Europe with Paris Saint-Germain. He is elite right now - as he showed with his fine save to thwart Bryan Mbeumo in the second half - whereas Bayindir was signed two years ago primarily as a deputy.

Senne Lammens, United's newly acquired keeper, is seen as a player capable of growing into the club's next No 1. Amorim decided against handing the highly-rated 23-year-old Belgium prospect a baptism of fire in the derby despite the fact Bayindir has never really convinced when playing in place of the erratic Andre Onana. But like Donnarumma for City, Lammens will be drafted in as United's new No 1 sooner rather than later.

On an afternoon where City's attackers dazzled, two thirds of United's new-look frontline were forced to feed off scraps until the dying embers of the game. While we've seen little of Benjamin Sesko since his big-money arrival, Bryan Mbeumo - and the injured Matheus Cunha - have already shown enough in glimpses that they can improve United's record in front of goal and the Cameroon star was unfortunate not to find the net with a fine volley on the hour.

Sesko's first Premier League start went by without the striker having any real chance of note as United struggled to fashion much in the way of clear-cut opportunities until City were 3-0 up and in cruise control. United may have seen enough in recent games to suggest their new-look attack will click, but it didn't quite fire on derby day.

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