BBC commentator Guy Mowbray used a Sir Alex Ferguson quote to perfectly sum up the change in power balance in the rivalry between Manchester United and Manchester City.
It was a rather chastening afternoon for United players and fans as both could do little more than watch on as they were decimated by local rivals City.
Advert
Troubled was brewing from the second minute, when Diogo Dalot was booked for a challenge on Jack Grealish, and, from Phil Foden's goal in the eighth minute to his hat-trick grabbing goal in the 73rd, there was little to no chance United were ever going to win.
Whilst some pride was resumed late on in the game, as Anthony Martial's two goals reduced the deficit to just three goals, there wasn't much saving face for the visitors.
A group of fans didn't even stick around to see the team battle back from the 6-1 scoreline, that appeared after Foden's third, as they disappeared at half time.
Advert
That was after Foden had scored his second of the game to make it 4-0 on the stroke of half time, with Erling Haaland having also grabbed two, including one from a corner when he was being marked by Christian Eriksen.
As fans exited the Etihad, Mowbray reminded people that Ferguson was once asked if United would ever go into a game with City as second favourites.
"He said not in my lifetime, now it’s every time," Mowbray proclaimed, which pretty much summed things up perfectly.
United won both games against City in 2009, with Michael Owen's famous late late goal coming in the 4-3 win at the beginning of the 2009/10 season.
Advert
But, even before Ferguson retired, the 'noisy neighbours' have been getting more joy out of games against their local rivals with the 6-1 win at Old Trafford the most famous.
That came early in the 2011/12 season and, with just a few games to go of that campaign, Vincent Kompany scored the only goal in the reverse fixture.
The win would eventually set up City's first Premier League title win and their domination of the league, and United hasn't ever really stopped.
City have since won the title on six occasions whilst United's only league title came in Fergie's final year, in 2013, and he's been watching them fail ever since.
Going into the game, United may have been more confident than in recent years, with their recent resurgence under Erik ten Hag seeing them win four league games on the bounce.
Advert
Included in those results were wins against in form Arsenal and less than in form Liverpool, but things started to unravel with Foden's eighth minute goal.
They were 4-0 down by half time and both Haaland and Foden secured hat-tricks in the second half, with the Norwegian given 10/10 for his performance by L'Equipe.
Goals from Antony and Martial made the scoreline a little less depressing for the players, the fans and Fergie but on that showing it might not be in the former manager's lifetime that they return to being favourites for the derby.
Featured Image Credit: BBC SportTopics: Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson
