Manchester derby: Sergio Aguero winner seals 1-0 win for Manchester City over Manchester United

VIDEO: SERGIO Aguero kept Manchester City in range of EPL leader Chelsea as Manchester United suffer worst 10-game start in almost 30 years.

SERGIO Aguero kept Manchester City in range of Premier League leader Chelsea with a second-half derby winner on Sunday that consigned Manchester United to its worst 10-game start to a season in nearly 30 years.

The defending champions maintained their recent supremacy over their fiercest rivals by winning 1-0 at Etihad Stadium, with Aguero finishing off a sweeping move in the 63rd. City now has four straight league victories against United for the first time since the 1969-70 season.

MATCH CENTRE: stats, play-by-play, line-ups

VAN GAAL: STUPID SMALLING COST US

‘FELLAINI DID NOT SPIT ON AGUERO’

United couldn’t hold out after defender Chris Smalling was sent off in the 39th minute for two quick yellow cards and now has just 13 points from 10 matches - its lowest haul since 1986, when Ron Atkinson was fired and replaced by Alex Ferguson.

United manager Louis van Gaal spent $250 million over the summer to rebuild the team after last season’s dismal season under David Moyes but is finding results just as hard to come by.

Chelsea has twice as many points as ninth-placed United after more than a quarter of the campaign.

Chris Smalling of Manchester United leaves the field after receiving a red card.

After spending so long in the shadow of United in Ferguson’s trophy-filled tenure, the blue half of Manchester is basking in a period of dominance not seen in 44 years.

This latest win kept City six points behind Chelsea but it was hardly convincing, despite playing against 10 men for more than half the game.

Booked needlessly in the 31st for impeding an out-of-hand clearance by goalkeeper Joe Hart, Smalling dived into a challenge on James Milner eight minutes later and was shown a second yellow card that Van Gaal labeled “stupid.”

Superstars Sergio Aguero of Manchester City andAngel di Maria of Manchester United.

It got worse for United when Smalling’s center-back partner, Marcos Rojo, was carried off on a stretcher in the 55th minute with a dislocated left shoulder. The visitors’ makeshift defense now consisted of two midfielders in Antonio Valencia and substitute Michael Carrick and two 19-year-olds.

When Aguero turned home a cross from Gael Clichy to score his league-high 10th goal of the season, it looked like City would go on to win easily, but United finished the game stronger and had chances to equalize through Angel Di Maria and Marouane Fellaini.

Manchester City players celebrate with the crowd.

“I have seen willpower of this team that I said to the players is fantastic,” Van Gaal said, “but we have still only 13 points out of 10 games and that is not so much.”

Van Gaal played down suggestions that Fellaini spat at Aguero as he stood over the striker following a first-half challenge.

The ball goes into the back of the net.

“I heard that it is a question on social media but that it has showed he is shouting,” Van Gaal said. “Sometimes when you shout, there is a little bit of saliva so I don’t think he is a spitting figure.”

Originally published as Manchester derby: Sergio Aguero winner seals 1-0 win for Manchester City over Manchester United