Troy Deeney wowed by Man City 'catalyst' vs Man United, 'he had his best game in two years'

Enzo Maresca's Manchester City fought against all odds to claim a narrow win over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Going into the Manchester derby, the Citizens were expected to claim all three points, but Phil Foden's early red card threw a spanner in the works.

The 26-year-old was sent off after just 23 minutes, with many believing that Bruno Fernandes also deserved to be shown red for his role in the incident.

Despite the one-man advantage, Michael Carrick's side struggled to really get going, and that was down to the passion and determination shown by the Noisy Neighbours.

The likes of Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Iliman Ndiaye have taken to life at the Etihad Stadium like a duck to water.

And the trio can definitely earmarked as Man City's key reason for winning the derby in a hard-fought 1-0 affair on Sunday, 13 September.

Man City's true 'catalyst' at Old Trafford

Reacting to the performance, Troy Deeney, speaking to BBC Sport, admitted his admiration for Maresca, who he doesn't normally rate.

The former Watford star then revealed who he truly thinks Man City have to thank for securing all three points in such a difficult situation.

Writing about Enzo Fernandez, he said: "He had his best game in the last two years against Manchester United. He actually did everything the team needed.

"He ran with the ball, looked after it, bought fouls, tried his best to get others sent off. I thought he was a catalyst for the team. His best performance for City so far."

That is high praise for a player who was greeted with a lot of criticism and uncertainty, especially after his sending-off in the 2026 World Cup final.

What did the numbers say about Enzo Fernandez's display?

Fernandez has slotted straight into the City lineup, and that was desperately needed after the exits of Rodri and Bernardo Silva.

Against the Red Devils, the 25-year-old created one big chance, fired off two shots, completed 50 per cent of his dribbles, and made six line-breaking passes [FotMob].

The defensive third is really where he shone, winning two tackles, three interceptions and four recoveries, as well as entering into 17 total duels.

He also won three fouls, as well as committing four of his own, all while covering 10km in front of a growingly frustrated Old Trafford crowd.