Marcus Rashford hit the winner and played a part – some might say – in Manchester United's first goal as the Red Devils beat City in Saturday's derby.
The in-form England international moved into early-career Cristiano Ronaldo territory by scoring in a seventh consecutive game for United, who have won nine in a row across all competitions.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Liverpool's campaign continued to unravel as they were battered 3-0 at Brighton and Hove Albion, and their neighbours Everton remain in deep relegation trouble after a home loss to fellow strugglers Southampton.
Another derby saw Nottingham Forest get the better of Leicester City, with Steve Cooper's team beginning to get a foothold in mid-table.
With the help of Opta data, Stats Perform examines key statistics from the Saturday's standout Premier League games.
Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City: Making his Marc again
Rashford has been a shining light for United since returning from the World Cup, scoring in all seven games for Erik ten Hag's team.
He is the first United player since Ronaldo in March-April 2008 to put together such a streak, while his run of goals in nine consecutive games at Old Trafford makes him the club's first player since Teddy Sheringham in September-November 2000 to enjoy that level of home form.
Bruno Fernandes got the equaliser, after an opener from City's Jack Grealish, with Rashford not flagged offside in the build-up after chasing the ball but not getting a touch prior to his Portuguese team-mate lashing past Ederson.
Rashford's close-range winner soon after, in the 82nd minute, was set up by Alejandro Garnacho, who at 18 years and 197 days became the youngest player to provide an assist in a Premier League Manchester derby.
City had just one shot on target, their joint-fewest in a Premier League match under Pep Guardiola.
Kevin De Bruyne set up Grealish's headed opener, reaching double figures in Premier League assists for a fifth season, with only Cesc Fabregas (6) doing so in more campaigns, but that was of no consolation as City saw their title hopes dented.
Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0 Liverpool: Worth the wait for Seagulls
Jurgen Klopp's reaction summed it up, when he said: "I think everybody with a Brighton shirt on or a Brighton heart enjoyed the game a lot and I don't think anybody with a Liverpool heart enjoyed it for a second."
This was a horror show for the Reds, suffering their first league defeat at Brighton since January 1961 (3-1). Liverpool had gone 10 unbeaten away to the Seagulls in the league before Solly March's double and Danny Welbeck's sublime goal left them reeling.
Liverpool have suffered six defeats now in 18 games in the competition this term, three times as many losses as they incurred in the entire 2021-22 Premier League campaign. It was a fifth league loss away from Anfield, their worst season total since also losing five in 2017-18. This season is not yet at its halfway point for Liverpool, who sit ninth.
This game kicked off at 3pm locally. It was the first Saturday 3pm league game Liverpool have lost since going down 2-0 to Hull in February 2017, ending a 32-game undefeated streak in that slot.
March has four goals in his last four games, which is as many as he managed in his first 156 in the Premier League.
Everton 1-2 Southampton: Ward-Prowse piles on misery for Lampard
Sitting second-bottom now, Everton are having a dismal time of it under Frank Lampard's leadership, losing four league games in a row at home for the first time since a seven-game streak in 1958. They are winless in seven in the league, their worst run since an eight-game sequence under Rafael Benitez in October-December 2021.
Amadou Onana put the hosts ahead, becoming the fourth Belgian player to score for Everton in the Premier League, after Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini.
But Saints captain James Ward-Prowse then took over, netting twice including the 16th direct free-kick goal of his Premier League career, putting him just two behind David Beckham's competition record.
It was his 12th such goal in away games, more than any player has managed in the Premier League, and only Matt Le Tissier (44) has managed more away goals in the Premier League era for Southampton than Ward-Prowse's haul of 28.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Leicester City: Johnson's derby delight
Brennan Johnson hit both goals in the East Midlands showdown, doubling his Premier League tally for the season and becoming the second-youngest Forest player to score twice in a Premier League game (21y 236d). Roy Keane, who struck a double against Leeds in December 1992 (21y 117d), remains the youngest.
Morgan Gibbs-White, at 22 years and 352 days, became the youngest to have two assists in a Premier League game for Forest.
Leicester are free-falling, with this a fourth consecutive league defeat. Remarkably, it is not yet their worst run of the campaign, having lost six in a row in August and September.
They have yet to win a point this season from a losing position, the only Premier League team to fail on that count.
I saw only one team – Rodri bemoans Real Madrid’s tactics after City’s Euro exit
Rodri claims he “saw only one team” trying to win as he bemoaned Real Madrid’s tactics following Manchester City’s heartbreaking Champions League quarter-final loss.
City’s European title defence ended in agonising fashion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday as the Spanish giants prevailed 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw on the night meant the tie ended 4-4 on aggregate.
It was a clash the holders completely dominated, racking up 33 attempts on goal to the visitors’ eight, but Real defended deep to frustrate them and ultimately ended their hopes of a second successive treble.
City midfielder Rodri said: “To be honest, I saw only one team. In terms of defending, they defended (well). They knew how to suffer and we know how tough Real Madrid are.
“But in my opinion we should go through with that amount of chances but this is the trick of this competition. They know how to play it. We congratulate them.
“We gave everything, there is nothing to regret. This is football sometimes. This shows how difficult it is to win it, as we did last season. It was very frustrating and sometimes it is difficult to explain.”
City’s exit from the competition they won with a Rodri goal in Istanbul last year, coupled with Arsenal’s loss to Bayern Munich, means there are no English semi-finalists for the first time since 2020.
City had to chase the tie after Rodrgyo pounced to put Real ahead after 12 minutes.
They created a plethora of chances in a storming response, with Erling Haaland going the closest in the first half when he headed against the bar.
Further opportunities came and went after the break and it was not until the 76th minute that Kevin De Bruyne finally broke through to net a deserved equaliser.
But De Bruyne spurned a good chance to win it when he fired over soon after and, with extra-time failing to separate the sides, it came down to spot-kicks.
Ederson saved from Luka Modric but Bernardo Silva’s attempted Panenka was too easy for Andriy Lunin, who also denied Mateo Kovavic as Real went through.
The Premier League leaders now have little time to pick themselves up before heading to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea on Saturday.
Rodri said: “We will have to digest the loss but we will have to wake up, stand up. We still have two more competitions to play for.
“We need the mentality (to be) positive, to find any ambition that right now is difficult to find. Tomorrow we will find it and go against Chelsea, try to be in another final and fight for the Premier League.”
City will need to assess key pair Haaland and De Bruyne who, along with Manuel Akanji, were substituted before the penalty shoot-out.
Haaland was removed at the end of the regulation 90 minutes with the influential De Bruyne leaving the action in the second period of extra-time.
Manager Pep Guardiola said: “Erling and Kevin asked me to go out – they could not continue, like Manu. The game we were playing, they were amazing, but they could not continue.”
Q&A – How Man City and Arsenal exits could impact Premier League’s European race
The prospect of five English clubs competing in next season’s Champions League is hanging by a thread after Manchester City and Arsenal were knocked out of the continent’s premier club competition on Wednesday night.
Here, the PA news agency explains the situation.
Why is there an extra place?
From this season, the two countries who collectively perform best in this season’s men’s European club competitions will each gain a European Performance Spot (EPS) for one of their clubs in the following season’s Champions League, which will feature a 36-team league phase from 2024-25 replacing the familiar eight groups of four.
For each of the best-performing countries, the EPS goes to the highest-finishing club in those countries who have not already qualified for the Champions League via their domestic performance. In England’s case, that would be the team finishing fifth – currently Tottenham.
How do the rankings look at the moment?
The rankings – known as the association club coefficient – are led this season by Italy. Germany were already ahead of England in the race for the second spot heading into the quarter-final second legs, but the exits of City and Arsenal – coupled with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund making progress – have widened the gap.
Last Friday – after the Europa League and Conference League first legs had been played – Germany had 16.785 points compared to England’s 16.750, a gap of 0.035. On Thursday morning the gap had grown to 0.767, with Germany on 17.642 and England on 16.875.
How are the points worked out?
Teams gain points for wins (two) and draws (one) from the start of the group phase in all three of UEFA’s men’s club competitions. Teams also earn points for participation in the Champions League group phase and for making progress beyond certain rounds in all three competitions.
The association coefficient is calculated by working out an average score – dividing the total number of points the clubs win by the number of clubs representing that country in Europe. So in England’s case any points won by the Premier League representatives are divided by eight.
Can England still do it?
In theory yes. West Ham and Liverpool could still meet in the Europa League final if they can overturn first-leg deficits to Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta respectively on Thursday night, and Aston Villa could still go all the way in the Conference League. That, coupled with the remaining German teams stumbling, means there is still very slim hope.
But Germany certainly have the edge and could even end up with six teams in next season’s Champions League. If Dortmund finish fifth in the Bundesliga but win the Champions League, it would be the second of those achievements which would secure them their Champions League place for 2024-25. The EPS would then be awarded to whoever finishes sixth – currently Eintracht Frankfurt.
Football rumours: Mo Salah tipped to leave Liverpool
What the papers say
Mo Salah is keen to leave Liverpool after a failed £200 million transfer bid, with the Sun reporting that three replacements have now been identified.
The i says Sean Dyche‘s job as Everton manager is not under threat, in spite of the club’s recent poor form.
Gremio left winger Gustavo Nunes, a rising star from Brazil, is attracting interest from Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal despite only making his senior debut in February, writes the Daily Mail.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Mason Greenwood: Manchester United could offer him as part of a deal to sign Brazil defender Gleison Bremer, 27, from Juventus, Gazzetta dello Sport claims.
Jarrad Branthwaite: Bayern Munich and Tottenham have joined Manchester United in considering a move for the Everton defender, as per Teamtalk.
Idrissa Gana Gueye: Saudi Pro League clubs are interested in the 34-year-old midfielder, who is unlikely to be offered a new deal by Everton when his contract expires, writes Football Insider.
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