Gifted two goals by United in the first half, City was happy to control the match after the break, while the host failed to present any sort of real threat. It was ultimately a disappointing derby for United as City stamped its superiority in all areas of the pitch.

The result once again showed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team simply lacks enough quality to mount even a token title bid. United is now winless in its last four home league games, losing three of them. City was handed an ideal start, going ahead in the seventh minute with an own goal from United defender Eric Bailly, who stretched out a leg but turned a low Joao Cancelo cross into his own net.

Cristiano Ronaldo forced Ederson into a save with a fine volley, but that turned out to be United’s sole effort on the City goal. United, shaky at the back despite playing a three-man central defence in the first half, relied on goalkeeper David de Gea to keep it in the derby as the Spaniard made a series of good saves.

de Gea smothered a close range effort from Gabriel Jesus and tipped over a long-range shot from Cancelo before reacting well to stop another potential own goal from Victor Lindelof, who turned a low Phil Foden ball towards his own net. The Spanish goalkeeper then rose to the challenge again to deny Kevin De Bruyne as City searched for a second.

But just before the break, Pep Guardiola’s side profited from more woeful United defending. Luke Shaw inexplicably left a Cancelo cross deep to the back post, allowing Bernardo Silva to sneak in and poke a shot goalward that crept past de Gea.

It was a moment which undid all of de Gea’s work and left United with a mountain to climb. In truth, however, it hardly got to the base camp.

RESULTS: Manchester United 0 lost to Manchester City 2 (E Bailly 7(OG), Bernardo 45); Chelsea 1 (K Havertz 33) drew with Burnley 1 (M Vydra 79)