Manchester United landed another killer blow in the battle for automatic Champions League qualification with a thumping 4-2 win over city rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford.
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Louis van Gaal's side now brag a healthy four-point lead over their beleaguered rivals, whose season has rapidly degraded from one of a title chase to now, clinging onto fourth spot and 12 points behind Chelsea.
It had all started so well for Manuel Pellegrini's men too, after Sergio Aguero made the most of a bright start by netting for the champions inside eight minutes.
But it didn't last. Just six minutes later the excellent Ashley Young lashed home after the ball fell nicely to him inside the box, and then the ex-Watford man turned provider for Marouane Fellaini to nod home shortly afterwards.
An offside Juan Mata finished a sweeping counter with 23 minutes left, before Chris Smalling put the points beyond doubt when he powered home a header from Young's free-kick.
Eliaquim Mangala's hopeless positioning for the killer goal summed up a City side who have now lost six of their last eight matches in all competitions, though there was a minor positive with Aguero scoring his 100th goal for the Citizens to make it 4-2 at the death.
- This is only the third time that United have scored 4+ goals in a Premier League Manchester derby (5-0 in 1994 and 4-3 in 2009).
- United scored 4 goals from just 7 shots on target.
- City conceded 4 goals in a Premier League game for the first time since losing 4-3 to United in September 2009.
- United now have 65 points, one more than they collected in the whole of 2013/14.
- City have lost 5 Premier League games in 2015, one more than they lost in the whole of 2014.
- Aguero clocked up his 100th goal for City in his 158th game for the club.
- Sergio Aguero has now scored 6 goals in his last 4 Premier League matches against United.
- City have failed to win any of their last 87 Premier League away games where they’ve trailed at half-time, a run that stretches back to 1995, while United have never lost a Premier League home game when leading at the break.
- Today was the first time Ashley Young has scored and assisted in the same top-flight game since March 2012 (vs Spurs).
- Wayne Rooney has now assisted 90 Premier League goals in his Premier League career. He has scored or assisted 275 league goals in total.
- Juan Mata has 3 goals and an assist in his last 3 Premier League games.
- City completed just 70.8% of their passes against United, their lowest total in a Premier League match this season.
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