Aguero strike earns City narrow win over 10-man Manchester United

Sergio Aguero’s clinical finish at the Etihad Stadium was enough to seal Manchester City a hard-gought win over 10-man Manchester United in the season’s first Manchester derby.

United were reduced to 10 men on 39 minutes after Chris Smalling was sent off for two bookable offences in the space of eight minutes.

City endured a nervy final 15 minutes with Joe Hart superbly saving an Angel di Maria shot, but at the end, Aguero’s clinical strike was enough.

City created the first chance of the game on eight minutes when Aguero’s shot was punched away by David De Gea. Two minutes later, Adnan Januzaj fired his shot wide of the target after being teed up by Robin Van Persie.

On 20 minutes, Aguero’s shot was saved by De Gea, and minutes later United had their goalkeeper to thank after he saved two quick-fire chances by Navas and Aguero.

The game changed on 38 minutes when Chris Smalling was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the space of just eight minutes. But despite playing against ten men for the best part of an hour, City were left sweating on their lead to overcome a steady United.

The deadlock was finally broken on 63 minutes when Aguero smartly finished Gael Clichy’s cutback.

United went close to an equaliser on 70 minutes Van Persie beat Martin Demichelis and Clichy down the left and fired in a shot which Hart kept out with his legs at his near post.

City were inches away from doubling their lead 15 minutes from time when Toure picked out Navas' run into the box, but under pressure from Shaw he drilled his shot against the post.

United almost grabbed a leveller on 77 minutes when Wayne Rooney burst through the middle and beat a couple of City defenders before going down in the box and the loose ball dropped to Di Maria who fired in a right-footed shot which was brilliantly saved by Hart low down to his right.

City’s fourth consecutive win sees them climb up to third, two points behind Southampton and six adrift of leaders Chelsea.

United, meanwhile, remain without an away win in the league and stand ninth in the standings.