Manchester City's youngsters replicated one of their club's most historic results earlier in the season when they beat Manchester United 6-1 on their own turf. They were at it again on Sunday, copying the first team's ruthless hunger for goals in the last week as they put another six past United in a derby demolition.
Erling Haaland's eight goals in two games are grabbing the headlines for City at senior level, as City scored seven against RB Leipzig and six against Burnley. The under-21s were in a similar mood as they copied the senior team's thirst for goals at the Academy Stadium.
United were in such a mess, they had to bring on 36-year-old coach Tom Huddlestone to shore up a defence that had already conceded three and had seen Sonny Aljofree sent off with only 25 minutes on the clock.
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Just like they did in October, City put their foot on the throat of United's young side, who knew the game was lost as soon as Aljofree clipped the heels of Oscar Bobb, having lost possession to the Norwegian before being left to chase him with the goal in his sight. He didn't bother to argue the red card and was probably a little relieved to be out of the one-sided contest.
City were already in full control by that stage, having scored two near-identical goals by targeting Brandon Williams on the United left. Dire Mebude twice got in behind Williams to cross for Micah Hamilton and then Will Dickson to score. Hamilton justified his inclusion in place of Carlos Borges with his eighth-minute finish, while Dickson pounced on a hesitant attempt at a clearance from Aljofree as Mebude's cross wasn't dealt with and he was presented with an easy finish.
A minute before Dickson's goal, Aljofree had shouted to his teammates to 'lift it', in regards to their passive tempo. He didn't listen to his own instruction, and the next thing he knew, he was headed for the dressing room. He won't have seen Tom Galvez play a smart one-two with Bobb within two minutes of his dismissal, allowing Dickson to turn in his second off the post.
United responded by bringing on Huddlestone to prganise the defence, and the visitors successfully got to half-time without conceding again. Still, the Academy Stadium DJ felt confident enough to play 'Singing the Blues' at half-time - a chant City fans bring out when United lose. It didn't feel premature.
The visitors had a choice at half-time: try and get a consolation or two but risk the scoreline getting even worse, or just keep things tight and try for damage limitation. They chose the latter, meaning the second half was one of little excitement. As City return to the top of the Premier League 2, still with two games in hand, they will be pleased to have only exerted themselves for 25 minutes.
To kill a game so quickly and so effectively is as much a statement as the 6-1 win at Leigh Sports Village earlier in the campaign - and there was time for a 10th goal against United this season. City were toying with United, knocking the ball about at a walking pace. When substitute Terrell Agyemang was loose with the ball, it was he who reacted quicker to regain possession, get to the byline, and centre for Bobb to tap in from under the bar.
A fourth goal of exactly the same design, yet United still had no answer. A fifth for Kian Breckin was another copy-and-paste job, with the lively Mebude again cutting back for another goal. By the time Jaden Heskey fired in a rebound from another Mebude cross from the byline, United had given up.
City were singing the Blues.
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