Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca and his players celebrated wildly in the dressing room after their 1-0 win over Manchester United in the 199th derby, even though the victory was complicated by a first-half red card for Phil Foden, according to teammate Elliot Anderson.
Erling Haaland's goal, confirmed only after a lengthy VAR review, proved decisive at Old Trafford as City claimed a hard-earned win despite being reduced to ten men for the majority of the contest. Foden was dismissed midway through the opening half after reacting angrily to Bruno Fernandes, forcing his teammates to reshape their approach for the remainder of the match.
Anderson, who was named man of the match for his performance, revealed that Foden's emotions swung between frustration and joy once the final whistle confirmed City's triumph. "Yeah, a bit of both, I guess. Obviously, gutted to not play in the full game, but no, he was bouncing up and down in the changing room, as we all were," Anderson said.
The midfielder explained that the sending-off forced City to dig deep and adapt tactically, something he believes reflected the character growing within the squad. "It made the game a lot harder and we've all came together and it shows real fighting and leadership from the lads," he said. "It wasn't ideal Phil going off but we all fought for it and, yeah, it changed the way of playing but we've done really well at it."
The result meant City have now won all four of their opening Premier League fixtures this season, a run Anderson says highlights a growing mentality within the squad beyond just individual talent. "There's no doubt we have all the quality but we're showing real mentality," he said. "In the first four games, especially in this one. Not giving up, fighting, fighting for every tackle, every duel, and waiting for our chance, and obviously Erling scores."
Haaland's strike was his ninth in Manchester derby fixtures, making him the competition's all-time leading scorer in the fixture. Yet it was Anderson who took the individual plaudits on the day. The 23-year-old, who arrived at City in a reported £116million transfer after being pursued by United, once labelled his new club the "kings of Manchester" — a comment that resurfaced after Saturday's win.
Asked about the quote following the match, Anderson smiled and simply replied, "we are now," adding that the atmosphere had not been as hostile as he might have expected given his previous remarks. "I was just trying to let my football do the talking. I think we came here and we played really well and, yeah, that's all I can say," he said. Asked whether he anticipated a tougher reception, he laughed and added, "I was just trying to let my football do the talking."
Anderson also praised his midfield partnership with deadline-day signing Enzo Fernandez, a player he faced as an opponent during England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina but now lines up alongside at club level. "He's very good," Anderson said. "He shows real quality on the ball and knowing you've got someone alongside you who has got your back is a massive help and, yeah, he's top."
When it was suggested that Fernandez is the type of player rivals dislike facing but teammates love having on their side, Anderson agreed with a laugh. "Yeah, he is. I found that obviously before I was playing with him, but no, he's a brilliant guy and he's a real top player," he said.
Based on reporting from The Independent.