Erling Haaland sets record as Manchester City wins the derby

Erling Haaland has cemented his name in the history of Manchester derbies, as a ten-man Manchester City continued their perfect run in the current Premier League season. According to Goal.com, Enzo Maresca's side secured a vital victory against their arch-rivals Manchester United in a hard-fought clash at Old Trafford. This is reported by Goal.com .

The visitors faced a serious challenge early on when Phil Foden was shown a straight red card and left the pitch. As a result, Manchester City was forced to play most of the match with ten men. Despite this, the team showed their character and managed to return from their rivals' home ground with three points.

VAR controversy and the decisive goal

The most controversial moment that decided the fate of the match occurred at the hour mark. When Erling Haaland found the back of the net, officials initially disallowed the goal for offside. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, the goal was awarded, and it secured the win for the visitors.

According to the Premier League's Match Centre, the VAR system determined that Erling Haaland was not in an offside position and that Enzo Fernandez, who was in an inactive position, did not touch the ball. Nevertheless, the referees' committee later admitted to Manchester United representatives that the goal should have been disallowed, sparking significant controversy.

Premier League history and a new record

This victory opened a new chapter in Premier League history for Manchester City. The Etihad Stadium owners have now repeated the feat of winning all of their first four league games for the seventh time, surpassing Chelsea's record to become the competition's record holder. However, the team has only gone on to win the title in two of their previous six such perfect starts.

On an individual level, Erling Haaland's goal confirmed his status as a derby legend. The Norwegian striker has scored a total of nine goals in Manchester derbies within the Premier League, becoming the top scorer in the tournament's history. He surpassed legends like Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero, who each had eight goals.

In a post-match interview, Erling Haaland expressed his pride in the team's resilience and refusal to give up in a difficult situation. The striker specifically praised the manager's tactical approach and his teammates' heroism on the pitch.