Phil Foden's WILD dressing room reaction revealed after early Manchester derby red card as Man City stun Man Utd

Despite facing a significant numerical disadvantage for the majority of the match, Man City claimed their first victory at Old Trafford in almost three years. The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 23rd minute when Foden was dismissed for lashing out at Bruno Fernandes, reacting poorly after the United captain had kicked him while he was on the turf.

Enzo Maresca's side weathered the storm and ultimately snatched all three points courtesy of a controversial strike from Erling Haaland. It was a resolute defensive display from City, who adjusted their tactics seamlessly to cope without their English playmaker.

At the heart of that resilient performance was summer signing Anderson, who earned the Player of the Match award. The £116 million arrival, who previously excelled against United whilst at Nottingham Forest, dominated the midfield battles to help his new club maintain their flawless start to the campaign.

Speaking after the final whistle, Anderson shed light on the jubilant post-match scenes and Foden's immediate reaction to the hard-fought triumph. "He was gutted to not play in the full game, but he was bouncing up and down the changing room. As we all were," the midfielder said.

The 23-year-old highlighted how the early dismissal forced the squad to dig deep. "[The red card] made the game a lot harder and we’ve all come together and it shows real fighting leadership from the lads," he noted. "It wasn’t ideal, Phil going off, but we all fought for it. It changed the way of playing, but we did really well at it."

Reflecting on his individual display, Anderson expressed satisfaction with his defensive shift. "I just gave everything for the team - duels and playing through the lines. I thought I did quite well and just stayed calm in possession with the team and helped everyone," he added.

Having branded City the "kings of Manchester" upon his unveiling in July, Anderson faced predictable hostility from the Old Trafford crowd. When reminded of his bold claim, the midfielder said: "I was just trying to let my football do the talking. I think we came here and we played really well. There’s no doubt we have all the quality, but we’re showing real mentality in the first four games, especially in this one. Not giving up, fighting for every tackle, every duel, and waiting for our chance, and obviously Erling scores."

Anderson also credited his growing midfield synergy with fellow new recruit Enzo Fernandez, who played an instrumental role in the slender victory. The pair previously clashed in a World Cup semi-final in the United States, but have quickly forged a strong alliance.

"I found that obviously before I was before I was playing with him," Anderson said of his prior battles against the Argentine. "But no, he’s a brilliant guy. And he’s a real top player. He’s very good. He shows real quality on the ball and knowing you’ve got someone alongside you who’s got your back is a massive help. He’s top."

As City look to build on their impressive opening to the season, their ability to grind out results under pressure will serve them well in upcoming fixtures. Anderson and Co. have demonstrated they can thrive even when forced to sacrifice possession. "I’ve been used to playing that way (without the ball) quite a lot. I find either way quite comfortable for me and I’ll just try to give my very best to help the lads around me," Anderson noted. "It hasn’t been easy. I’ve been obviously challenged in all the games, and yeah, I thought I’ve done pretty well. I’ve trained hard to put myself in the best place for the games and it has started ever so well."

The fierce rivalry naturally boiled over late on, with Fernandez employing some dark arts to wind down the clock, noticeably milking contact from United's Kobbie Mainoo. Unfazed by the theatrics, Anderson dismissed the antics as standard practice for such a high-stakes encounter, concluding: "It’s a derby, isn’t it? There’s always going to be that type of stuff in the game."