With all eyes from across the Premier League falling on Old Trafford, Manchester United mounted a stunning late comeback as they clinched a 2-1 victory on Saturday lunchtime.
Despite falling 1-0 behind as Jack Grealish opened the scoring 15 minutes after the interval, Erik ten Hag s side put in yet another stellar post-World Cup display on home soil.
With the red-hot Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes bagging both of United s late strikes in the space of just four minutes, the Red Devils now find themselves firmly sat in pole position to secure a Champions League return.
Along with widening their buffer in the top-four chase, Saturday s hosts also handed their bitter local rivals a major title blow.
With the defending Premier League champions enduring a nightmare domestic week, Manchester City know that they could once again end the weekend sitting eight points adrift of Arsenal.
In what was a real second-half thriller from Old Trafford, we have taken a look at the key talking points.
A crucial blow for City
While it should be Manchester United s remarkable late comeback that should steal all of the headlines on Saturday afternoon, it will be City s public slip-up that will have the most attention.
Shockingly crashing out of the EFL Cup earlier in the week following a 2-0 loss away at Premier League relegation scrappers Southampton, Pep Guardiola was calling on his superstars to find an immediate boost here.
However, suffering a nightmare collapse and appearing to struggle with their consistency since returning from the World Cup break, the former Barcelona boss knows that his side face a real uphill struggle in 2023.
Showing some extended attacking issues away from the Etihad this season, City have also handed Arsenal a golden chance to widen their buffer over the chasing pack on Sunday afternoon.
With the record-breaking Erling Haaland drawing another blank at Old Trafford and failing to cause much harm to David de Gea s goal, the Sky Blues will be desperate for a favour from Tottenham in 24 hours time.
Erik is the man
While Manchester United might have opened the 2022/23 campaign with back-to-back Premier League defeats, the Red Devils have enjoyed a stellar rise since finding their feet under ten Hag.
Heading into the World Cup break with a last-gasp 2-1 win away at Fulham, the former Ajax boss has only seen his side continue to shine since returning from the festive interval.
Along with booking their EFL Cup semi-final ticket earlier in the week following a 3-0 win at home against League One outfit Charlton, Saturday s hosts now find the mood around Old Trafford at a red-hot high.
Causing their bitter local rivals a string of second-half issues here, ten Hag has now seen his high-flying squad win each of their previous nine straight domestic showdowns across all formats.
Laying down a real marker this weekend, it is no surprise that the Red Devils are now sat firmly in the driving seat to claim a Champions League return this season.
Who can stop Rashford?
Sending Old Trafford into overdrive and moving United within two points of their local rivals, Rashford has almost epitomised ten Hag s remarkable resurge over the past few months.
Bagging three World Cup strikes as England reached the quarter-finals of last month s tournament, the 25-year-old has embarked on what has been a monumental free-scoring run since returning from the festive break.
Really becoming United s leading man since Cristiano Ronaldo s messy exit, Rashford has now found the net in each of his seven consecutive post-World Cup appearances.
With the Old Trafford hierarchy making it a top priority to get Rashford s tied down on a bumper long-term deal, United s homegrown star has also notched eight strikes on that seven-match run.
Enjoying what has quickly become the most clinical spell in his young career, ten Hag has rightfully been filled with praise for Rashford s remarkable extended flurry.
While it might have appeared last season that the 51-cap international could be on his way out of Manchester, United s attacking talisman is now spearheading their top-four charge.
Match Report
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Shaw, Malacia, Casemiro, Fred, Fernandes, Eriksen, Rashford, Martial
Subs: Maguire, Martinez, Antony, McTominay, Garnacho
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Ake, Cancelo, Silva, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland, Mahrez
Subs: Grealish
Goals: Manchester United: Fernandes (78 ), Rashford (82 ) Manchester City: Grealish (60 )
Yellow Cards: Casemiro, Fred, Eriksen
Red Cards: N/A
Referee: Stuart Attwell
