Holders Manchester City will take a commanding lead into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final after outclassing neighbours Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford’s late reply will give United hope they can still turn this tie around in the return on Wednesday, 29 January, but it should not deflect from City’s overwhelming superiority for the vast majority of the game.
Pep Guardiola’s side stunned the home fans with three first-half goals, and in truth they could have had many more before the break, such was the gulf between the two sides.
City, who left Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus on the bench, started with a strikerless 4-4-2 system that saw Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne their furthest players forward.
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It was Bernardo who broke the deadlock, with a superb strike from the edge of the box that arrowed into the top corner of the net.
Riyad Mahrez made it 2-0 when he ran on to Bernardo’s pass and rounded David de Gea, with the home side hopelessly exposed.
Elsewhere, Manchester United captain Ashley Young has opened talks over a move to Inter Milan.
It is understood no decision has been made yet by United about whether Young will be allowed to leave Old Trafford this month.
The 34-year-old’s future is expected to become clear in the next 24 hours.
As his contract expires at the end of the season, he is now free to talk to clubs outside of England.
Young was left out of the United squad for Tuesday’s 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said after the game that “it was not the right time” to discuss Young’s future, adding: “We can’t weaken ourselves, we need to strengthen ourselves if any movement is going to happen.”
Young joined United from Aston Villa in 2011 and was part of squads that won the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.