Gary Neville predicted that Manchester City would "get done" in the derby before they went and put six past their neighbours.
Manchester United headed to the Etihad off the back of four straight wins which had led to a renewed confidence as they begun to find their feet under Erik ten Hag. Neville was clearly feeling optimistic and that was only furthered when he saw that City had made several surprise changes.
Pep Guardiola decided to start without midfield anchor Rodri or centre-halves Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte. Instead Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji started in defence and Neville said upon finding out: "Well I've just seen the team news here at the Etihad - and this lot (City) are getting done. My chickens have been counted."
Neville's prediction could not have been more wrong as United were dismantled, especially in the first-half. City scored their opener within ten minutes as Phil Foden got the ball rolling. Erling Haaland then bagged a brace before Foden's second made it 4-0 at the break.
Antony showed that United had some spirit left in them early in the second period, but Haaland and Foden both completed their hat-tricks to make it 6-1. Anthony Martial got a late double to make the scoreline look slightly more respectable, but it was still an afternoon to forget for those on the red half of Manchester.
Neville has been known to go early with predictions. He did so before United lost 5-0 at home against Liverpool last term, stating: "You know that Manchester United are going to beat Liverpool on Sunday and that is a fact. And he [Jamie Carragher] knows it, by the way."
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United's defeat highlights the gulf that still exists between them and the champions and means there are now eight points between City and United. Ten Hag is in the midst of a major rebuild but gave a damning assessment of his side's display at the Etihad.
He told BBC : "It's quite simple, it's a lack of belief. When you don't believe on the pitch then you can't win games, that is unacceptable. We get undisciplined at following rules and you get hammered, that's happened today.
"For me it was a surprise. We were not on the front foot, we were not brave on the ball and there were spaces to play but we were not brave enough. All the credit to City, but it's nothing to do with City, our performance was not good. It had to do with the belief as individuals and as team."
