Aguero strike seals City win over 10-man United

Manchester City endured a nervy final 15 minutes before completing a 1-0 win over 10-man Manchester United courtesy of Sergio Aguero's clinical finish at the Etihad Stadium.

Aguero handed City a fourth successive win over their Manchester rivals in the derby fixture when he drove the ball beyond David de Gea from Gael Clichy's delightful cutback on 63 minutes.

But despite playing against 10 men for the best part of an hour after Chris Smalling's needless red card on 39 minutes, City were left sweating on their lead with Joe Hart forced to produce a fine stop from Angel Di Maria on 75 minutes. Marouane Fellaini somehow missed the target with a free header seconds later.

City should have been out of sight before then with referee Michael Oliver denying the home side three clear-cut penalties with one in injury time in the first half particularly glaring when Yaya Toure was clearly taken out late by Marcos Rojo.

Rojo produced an erratic performance in his own right before he was carted off on 53 minutes with a shoulder injury after careering into a nonsensical late challenge on Martin Demichelis.

Louis Van Gaal's side remain without an away win in the league. They are ninth in the standings with 13 points from 10 matches with City in third, two points behind Southampton and six adrift of leaders Chelsea.

32' - BOOKING! Silly, silly booking for Chris Smalling after he halted the progress of Hart in trying to wallop the ball from his box. Will that come back to haunt the United defender?

39' - RED CARD! Smalling slides in late on Milner. That is a second yellow and he is off. Stupid sending off.

42' - PENALTY APPEAL! Aguero down here clutching an ankle. Fellaini caught him late in the United box. Fortunate to avoid a penalty there.

45+3' - PENALTY APPEAL NUMBER TWO! There goes the whistle for the break. City 0-0 United. But United are down to 10 men. Toure appeals for a penalty on the whistle. Seemed to be caught late by Rojo. Should have been a penalty and a red card.

58' - ANOTHER PENALTY APPEAL! Carrick goes in late on Aguero. Appeals for a penalty, but Michael Oliver says no. A third penalty fails to be awarded to City.

63' - GOAL! City 1-0 United. Aguero with the finish from the Clichy cutback. No chance for De Gea. Aguero's 10th Premier League goal of the season. Can't say it wasn't coming.

75' - UNITED CHANCE! Rooney with the chance to level. Brilliant run. Hesitates, but Van Persie then plays in Di Maria, whose shot is blocked by Hart.

76' - UNITED CHANCE! Free header for Fellaini, but the Belgian heads wide from the Di Maria cross. What a chance that was. But not snapped up.

Man City have won four top flight matches in a row against Man Utd for the first time since March 1969 - December 1970.

Man Utd fail to keep a clean sheet for the eighth PL match against City, since a goalless draw at the Etihad on 10 November 2010.

City keep consecutive clean sheets against Man Utd for the first time in the top flight since 1981.

Man City prevent back-to-back losses in the Premier League – they have lost just one of their last 12 PL home matches. Man Utd’s four-match unbeaten streak comes to an end, as they reach three PL matches without a win for the first time since their opening three matches of the season. They are now winless in seven PL away matches (D4-L3).

Man City have avoided back-to-back Premier League defeats for the first time since October 2010.

No case for the defence? United contributed to their own demise with Chris Smalling being sent off due to his own stupidity while Marcos Rojo does not convince you that he is the long-term answer to United's problems in defence. City did not play well in the final 15-20 minutes, but were worth their three points despite United's resistance.

Yaya Toure (Manchester City): Produced a stout performance at the heart of the City midfield. A very talented player who Manuel Pellegrini will hope can drive his side back into the Premier League title race with Chelsea six points ahead of them.

Manchester City: Hart 7, Zabaleta 6, Clichy 6, Demichelis 6, Kompany 7, Fernando 6, Yaya Toure 7, Navas 6, Milner 6, Jovetic 6, Aguero 7. Subs: Fernandinho 6, Dzeko 6, Nasri 6

Manchester United: De Gea 7, Valencia 6, Smalling 4, Rojo 5, Shaw 6, Blind 6, Fellaini 5, Januzaj 6, Rooney 7, Di Maria 7, Van Persie 6. Subs: McNair 6, Carrick 6, Wilson 6.