“Enzo, Enzo, Enzo, in your head” was how delirious Manchester City fans regaled Enzo Fernández who after a star role in a memorable victory surely has instant cult hero status.
This 199th derby was won by Erling Haaland’s ninth strike in the fixture but the visitors’ totem was their new No 17. He was the key nuisance in a goal initially ruled out for offside and which VAR overturned when ruling Fernández was not distracting Lisandro Martínez when Josko Gvardiol’s ball came over. The Argentinian, too, was an emblem of the fight Enzo Maresca’s team carried to Manchester United after Phil Foden appeared to turn the game the hosts’ way on 22 minutes.
As he and Bruno Fernandes challenged along City’s right the forward kicked United’s captain around the midriff and Michael Oliver showed a red card, VAR backing the referee’s instantaneous decision.
Except, down to 10 men, Maresca refused to go for the draw, by shutting the back door with a defender for attacker, until late on, after Haaland’s finish – when Nico O’Reilly replaced Fernández to help see it out.
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