Eden Džeko's goal less than a minute into the match set the tone for the day, helping Manchester City claim victory in the Manchester Derby over Manchester United, 3-0, at Old Trafford. Džeko scored twice and Yaya Touré added a late goal to push Manuel Pellegrini's side closer to Chelsea at the top of the table.
Manchester United vs. Manchester City: Final score 0-3, Eden Džeko’s brace leads City to victory
Eden Džeko scored just 42 seconds into the match and City never looked back in a 3-0 win over their town rivals.
More from our team sites
There are perfect starts to football matches and then there is what happened in the opening minute of Wednesday’s match. City poured immediate pressure on the United goal, marching down the field from the kickoff like hungry wolves on a fresh kill.
After David Silva's close-range shot was blocked, Džeko quickly pushed the rebound to Touré who found Samir Nasri on the right side of the United box. Nasri's shot hit the post and rolled back across face of goal where Džeko was waiting to put the ball into the empty net, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead just 42 seconds into the match.
Manchester United essentially didn’t even touch the ball before the goal, not counting block on Silva’s effort seconds before the actual goal.
To United's credit, they didn't go to pieces in the wake of the early goal and looked better as the half progressed. There still wasn't enough good passing in the attacking third to threaten Joe Hart, but it could have been much worse.
The Red Devils' best chance of the half came in the 39th minute when Wayne Rooney whiffed on Rafael's cross from the left side, allowing the ball to find Juan Mata in space at the top of the box. Mata's effort was off target, however, and curled over the crossbar.
Vincent Kompany just missed doubling the lead in the 52nd minute on a header off a flicked-on pass by Fernandinho at the near post off a poorly delivered corner. Kompany's header went over the crossbar. The defender couldn't get high enough to force the ball down.
In the 56th minute, City had another corner and did not waste their opportunity. Nasri sent the ball in and Džeko waltzed into an absurd amount of space thanks to Rio Ferdinand being late with his challenge to the striker's run. Džeko smoothly volleyed the ball past De Gea to make the score 2-0, giving the fans in light blue more reason to sing.
Touré ensured there would be no miraculous late comeback, beating De Gea with a low shot that eluded the United goalkeeper on its way into the back of the net at the start of stoppage.
City take over second place in the EPL -- pending Liverpool's match tomorrow against Sunderland -- and are now just three points behind Chelsea with two games still in hand on the league leaders.
Manchester United: De Gea, Evra, Ferdinand, Jones, Rafael, Carrick, Cleverley (Kagawa 46’), Fellaini (Valencia 66’), Welbeck (Hernández 77’), Rooney, Mata
Goals: None
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Touré, Fernandinho, Nasri (Milner 74’), Silva, Navas (Garcia 68’), Džeko (Negredo 80’)
Goals: Džeko (1’, 56’), Touré (90’)
See More:
