At least it was not another abject humiliation. That was the crumb of comfort from the Manchester United point of view. In four of the previous six derbies – and that did not include the FA Cup final at the end of last ­season, which Manchester City won 2-1 – United had been taken apart in grisly fashion. Their supporters even had the thrill of seeing Marcus ­Rashford blast them into an early lead with a furious long-range drive.

It was still another defeat, another occasion when the gap to the top was mapped out in painful detail – as it was always likely to be. United’s ambition was limited to battling to stay compact and trying to nick ­something on the counterattack.

Related: Phil Foden thrives using trusty old Pep Guardiola skill-gnome template

It is plainly not what United should be about and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new minority owner, knows it.

His timeframe for knocking City and Liver­pool off their perch within three years will have to be revised on this evidence, and it was another one of his recent soundbites that ­resonated on Sunday – the one about the “complete misery and frustration” of being a United fan since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

City reeled United in; there was an inevitability to it as they began an important month with the result they needed to answer ­Liverpool’s win at Nottingham ­Forest on Saturday. It was Phil Foden who made the difference.

The midfielder scored twice, the first a hit to rival that of Rashford, the second a composed ­finish for 2-1 that took him to 18 goals for the ­season; a career best. Yet it was the little details, too, such as him ­tracking back to rob the United substitute, Antony, late on, which had Pep Guardiola applauding wildly. Foden was on another level.

Erling Haaland would add the third in stoppage time and it was ­certainly a good way for City to limber up for next Sunday’s showdown against ­Liverpool at Anfield.

City also face Arsenal at the Etihad at the end of the month. They have now won 17 and drawn two of their past 19 matches in all competitions and it seems as though they are ready to sweep all before them again.

It is fair to say Rashford had brought the spotlight upon himself by giving an interview on Thursday in which he strongly advised nobody to question his commitment to United on the back of his poor performance in the midweek FA Cup win at Forest. Nobody was really doing that. They were just questioning why he was having such a poor season.

Rashford needed to show something and he did with one of the best goals of his career, an ­impossibly sweet strike from 25 yards that reared up ferociously, going in off the ­underside of Ederson’s crossbar. Bruno Fernandes, who played as a false 9, created the chance, having held off Rúben Dias after a long ball from André Onana.

Rashford mixed in the bad ­during a frenetic opening when United ­threatened on the break. He might have scored again when Dias slipped and Fernandes played a quick through-ball. Rashford had nobody in front of him on halfway but his first touch was poor, allowing Kyle Walker to tackle back.

Worse was to follow when ­Rashford air-kicked and then fell over after Fernandes had crossed. The angle was not unkind for the 26-year-old and it went down as a good chance. It was also the last flicker from United in an attacking sense, only midway through the first half.

City dominated possession, they pressed high, and they bossed the shot count 27-3. United were indebted to Onana before the interval as he made three huge saves – two to deny Foden, the second in a one-on-one. The other saw him plunge to his left to keep out a Rodri volley.

When Haaland contrived a scarcely believable miss in first-half stoppage time, the thought flickered that it could be United’s day. Foden had headed square and Haaland was all alone at point-blank range, leaping to cushion the volley into the empty net. He could not keep it down. We almost needed to see replays to check. Yes, City’s goal devourer really had skied it.

Related: ‘Absolutely not’: Ten Hag denies United are way behind City after derby defeat

City just kept on doing what they were doing, John Stones stepping up into midfield, Kevin De Bruyne ­central to so much. Erik ten Hag had ­precious few options with his ­starting XI given his injury list, unless you counted Sofyan Amrabat at left-back as one or Antony on the right wing as another – Ten Hag did not. The contrast to City’s resources was stark.

The equaliser was a thing of beauty, Foden cutting inside the makeshift left-back, Victor Lindelöf, no red shirts stepping out to him, the strike of the utmost purity. Foden had shimmered with menace and now he had his moment from outside the box. United wanted a foul by Walker on Rashford in their previous possession but it would have been soft.

The second half was a siege of the United goal. Ten Hag introduced the 19-year-old Willy Kambwala at right-back, ­switching Diogo Dalot over to left‑back to deal with Foden, with Lindelöf moving to ­centre-back. So Guardiola shifted Foden towards the other sideand that was from where he scored again.

Foden swapped passes with the substitute, Julián Álvarez, saw the space open up and drove low into the far corner. Before that, Alejandro Garnacho had shouted for a penalty after running through and seeing Ederson take the ball and then him – it was ­wishful thinking – and City deserved their third goal. It came when Amrabat, on as a substitute, was robbed by Rodri. Haaland was clear and he was not going to miss this time.