Pre-match perfectionist
Even before Manchester City emerged for their warm-up, the pre-match team talk had started, with Pep Guardiola delaying the players leaving the dressing room to give some last-minute instructions to his team.
As a handful of City starters milled outside of the dressing room, footage shown on City's pre-match YouTube show saw Guardiola come out into the corridor and call Aymeric Laporte and Rodri into the doorway for a small discussion as he animatedly informed the pair of something they should prepare for. He then brought Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva into the discussion, while others in the dressing room appeared to be involved - potentially Jack Grealish and Phil Foden who emerged shortly after.
With United throwing a surprise by naming a striker-less team, Guardiola was likely reacting to that news and refining City's tactical approach in response. In the game, City found most of their joy on the left side of Laporte, Cancelo, Bernardo, and Grealish, with Rodri switching play to the left whenever possible and Foden helping out from the middle - so whatever Guardiola said, his players clearly listened.
ALSO READ: Man City give De Bruyne injury update after substitution vs Man Utd
Sancho's celebration
On his first return to the Etihad since leaving in search of first-team football in 2017, Jadon Sancho needed one chance to curl a delightful effort into the corner to draw United level midway through the first half. His celebration was muted, but he still sent a message as he shrugged his shoulders and pulled a face as if to say 'what did you expect?'.
Guardiola has never resented Sancho for leaving as they couldn't guarantee him the games he wanted, but City fans didn't waste an opportunity to boo him as the designated pantomime villain in the opening stages. So Sancho clearly felt the need to respond with his subtle celebration - although City had the last laugh come full-time.
Echoes of 2018
The last time City beat United at home was in 2018 when they put on a similarly emphatic performance against the helpless visitors. On that day, City sealed the win with a 44-pass move finished by Ilkay Gundogan.
Here, when Riyad Mahrez stroked home a delightful volley to put daylight between City and United, it came from another string of unbroken passes that won't get the credit it deserves. Cancelo dispossessed Jesse Lingard to play back to Ederson, before City calmly passed the ball out from the back in a graceful move utilising all players barring Mahrez.
Joao Cancelo's cross was blocked for a corner which De Bruyne used to tee up Mahrez to ensure all 11 City players were involved in a third goal that was almost as perfect as Gundogan's over three years ago.
Joy Division
As soon as Mahrez scored that goal, the visitors were beaten and there was still over 20 minutes on the clock. City fans enjoyed the rest of the game, as well as another Mahrez goal, by taunting United with deafening 'Oles', bringing out the Poznan and taking any opportunity to mock the away end.
It seems the Etihad's DJ got caught up in the atmosphere too, as the first song played at full-time was Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear You Apart' - coincidentally the song City fans were signing about tearing United apart. After a chorus of that, the 'Yaya/Kolo Toure' song got an airing as fans stayed in their seats to serenade their derby heroes and also take the opportunity to delight in the glum United faces.
Foden's love for De Bruyne
As all City players raced to Mahrez after his sublime volley to put the derby to bed on 68 minutes, Phil Foden made sure to pay tribute to the equally lovely corner from Kevin De Bruyne that was judged perfectly for Mahrez on the edge of the penalty area.
Foden couldn't contain his delight as he embraced De Bruyne, before both ran arm in arm to the rest of the team as the Etihad erupted, captured by pitchside cameras. Guardiola said after the game he was glad De Bruyne was scoring more, but this was one of his better assists in a long time.
Sign up to our City newsletter so you never miss an update from the Etihad Stadium this season.
Catch up on all the latest Blues headlines in our Man City section
