United 4 Man City 2

United secured a 70th Manchester derby victory over rivals City with a superb 4-2 victory at a jubilant Old Trafford on Sunday that extends the Reds’ lead over the Blues to four points.

It was another fine performance from Louis van Gaal’s men, who responded brilliantly after going behind to an eighth-minute Sergio Aguero strike. Ashley Young levelled on 14 minutes before setting up Marouane Fellaini to head home. Juan Mata slotted home a third after the hour, before Chris Smalling completed United's scoring with a fourth soon after. Aguero pulled a consolation back near the end, but the game was already effectively over by that point and the hosts were down to 10 men after Michael Carrick limped off.

Van Gaal made one change to the side that beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the previous game, with Smalling, sent off against City earlier in the campaign, replacing Marcos Rojo, who dropped to the bench, in the centre of the defence alongside Phil Jones.

City arrived at a rain-soaked Old Trafford on the back of three away defeats, while the Reds were going in search of a sixth straight Barclays Premier League victory. The Reds started on the front foot in the opening couple of minutes but it was the visitors who had the first opening of the game and struck the early blow after just eight minutes.

After David De Gea saved well with his legs from Jesus Navas, who found himself through on goal thanks to a long ball forward, the Reds survived a couple of scares from a couple of resulting corners. But in the same passage of play, Gael Clichy found James Milner down the left, who slipped a pass into the onrushing David Silva and he found Aguero who tapped into an empty net.