Gary Neville believes Manchester City were thoroughly outplayed by Manchester United on Sunday.

Manuel Pellegrini's City were defeated 4-2 by Louis van Gaal's rapidly improving United line-up at Old Trafford which prompted former Red Devils skipper Neville to suggest the visitors were a long way off their best.

"I think it's important to note that Manchester City have been beaten in the areas of hunger and passion and fight, but they were tactically done as well out here today," Neville said on Sky Sports.

"Make no mistake, they could not handle Manchester United's positions on the pitch.

"It wasn't just a case of Manchester City coming here and being outfought, they were actually outplayed in the sense they didn't know what to do.

"(Martin) Demichelis, (Vincent) Kompany, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho; they were always looking around and didn't know where (Ander) Herrera was, where (Marouane) Fellaini was."

Goals from Ashley Young, Fellaini, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling gave United a sixth-straight Premier League win and ended a four-game losing streak against City who were served by a double from Sergio Aguero.