Pep Guardiola hailed Phil Foden as the “best player in the Premier League right now” after his second-half double ensured Manchester City came from behind to beat Manchester United at Etihad Stadium.
In a game packed with international stars, it was two local boys who provided the key moments.
The visitors had led through Marcus Rashford’s sensational eighth-minute strike from 30 yards.
However, in a contest City dominated, Foden took centre stage.
There was an element of controversy over his second-half equaliser. United boss Erik ten Hag was booked for arguing his side should have had a free-kick in the City half when Rashford went down under Kyle Walker’s challenge.
Contact was minimal and within seconds Foden had curled a superb shot past Andre Onana.
Foden then burst away from a static Casemiro to score City’s second from Julian Alvarez’s return pass before Erling Haaland rounded off the scoring in stoppage time, after the Norwegian earlier missed an open goal from barely three yards.
“It is the amount of games he is playing,” Guardiola told Match of the Day about Foden.
“He was always a talented player but now he is more mature and understands more the game, especially defensively. He can play middle, right, make moments and cut inside, play in the left, scoring from the left.
“What can I say? He is the best player in the Premier League right now for the amount of things he does. Unbelievable.”
It was City’s sixth win in seven meetings against United, who suffered their 11th Premier League defeat of the season.
More importantly, the result means Pep Guardiola’s side move to within a point of leaders Liverpool before next week’s trip to Anfield.
United remain in sixth in the table but are now 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and six behind Tottenham, in what could turn out to be a fifth Champions League spot, having played a game more.