Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League after grinding out a 0-0 draw against arch rivals Manchester United, while Sunderland crushed 10-man Newcastle 3-0 in a record-breaking north-east derby on Sunday. A forgettable 170th Manchester derby yielded only two shots on target at Old Trafford, but that was enough to return City to the summit on goal difference above Arsenal, with United two points back in fourth place.
Manuel Pellegrini's City could point to the absence of injured duo Sergio Aguero and David Silva, which partly explained why their attack ran dry after a flood of 11 goals in two league games.
"We are back at the top of the table," Pellegrini said. "I prefer to play in another way but we defended well.
"It was very tactical. Unfortunately it was not a very attractive game."
There were no such excuses for Louis van Gaal's United, although they came closest to scoring when Anthony Martial teed up substitute Jesse Lingard to volley against the bar late on.
"I am proud of my players. They have been concentrating and focused for 90 minutes," van Gaal said.
"We didn't create much but City adapted their line-up to our line-up. It was tough."
At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland swept to a record sixth successive Premier League triumph over hated neighbours Newcastle as Fabricio Coloccini's controversial dismissal proved the turning point.
Newcastle had more than one reason to be aggrieved over the incident that shaped the outcome. It came from a penalty awarded in first-half stoppage time when Newcastle defender Coloccini blocked Steven Fletcher as the Sunderland striker tried to reach a through ball.
Whether referee Robert Madley was right to award the spot-kick converted by Adam Johnson was highly debatable, but the red card shown to the centre-back by referee Robert Madley was certainly harsh since goalkeeper Rob Elliot looked certain to reach the ball ahead of Fletcher.
Billy Jones and Fletcher added further goals for Sunderland in the second half to ensure that Sam Allardyce would be their fourth successive manager to win this derby in his second match in charge.
And to make the derby success even sweeter for Sunderland's players and fans, their first league win of the season lifted them above Newcastle on goal difference, although both remain in the relegation zone.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Harry Kane ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion as the Tottenham Hotspur striker's hat-trick inspired a 5-1 demolition of Bournemouth.
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