Manchester City makes statement with 4-1 rout of Manchester United

Manchester City made a bold statement Sunday with a 4-1 rout of Manchester United on derby day in the English Premier League.

New City Manager Manuel Pellegrini summed up the victory at Etihad Stadium quite well.

“No one believes that 4-1 is possible before the game,” said Pellegrini, who took over for Roberto Mancini this season.

Argentine strike Sergio Aguero had two goals, opening the scoring in the 16th minute. City put the game to rest within a span of five minutes before and after halftime with three more goals.

The margin of victory equaled City’s biggest at home over United, the last time in 2004, and was perhaps as big a statement as the 6-1 win at Old Trattford over United in 2011, when City went on to win 2011-12 Premier League title.

The win moved City into a three-way tie for third place in the 20-team EPL with Chelsea and Liverpool at 10 points. Arsenal and Tottenham sit atop the standings after five games with 12 points. United is in a five-way tie for eighth place at seven points.

United’s Wayne Rooney scored off a free kick in the 87th minute to become the leading scorer in Manchester derby history with 11 goals. That was little solace to United Manager David Moyes, who took over this year for Sir Robert Ferguson.

“We found it difficult to contain them,” Moyes said. “We never really got to the pitch of the game, from the off.”

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