United started interim manager Michael Carrick’s second spell with an impressive 2-0 derby win.
Michael Carrick got off to a good start as Manchester United’s caretaker manager with a convincing 2-0 derby win against Manchester City in the Premier League.
Carrick, who took charge in his first game since taking over this week, quickly lifted the Old Trafford gloom with Saturday’s victory. This victory will remain in United fans’ memories for a long time.
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The former United midfielder has just signed a contract until the end of the season and has 17 games left before convincing club bosses to give him the job on a permanent transfer after Ruben Amorim was sacked last week.
And Carrick could not have made a better first impression with his superb performance against City manager Josep Guardiola in the 198th Manchester derby.
Second-half goals from Brian Mbeumo and Patrick Dorg clinched victory, with United fans singing loudly and drowning out their fierce cross-city rivals.
And the victory could have been made even more emphatic by United hitting the woodwork twice, forcing City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make successive saves and having three goals canceled for offside.
The win not only gave United local bragging rights and increased the team’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League, but also dealt City’s title challenge a further blow.
United dominated the chances around half-time.
Harry Maguire headed the ball against the bar within three minutes and United had two goals ruled out for offside by VAR before the end of the first half.
In the second half, Donnarumma denied goals to Amad Diallo, Casemiro and Mbeumo, and the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute.
This came after Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring after City’s free-kick went awry, and United’s further quick attack.
City half Fernandes slipped a pass into Mbeumo’s run and the Cameroonian forward, for the first time, fired a low, left-footed shot into the far corner to the delight of the home fans.
It was a low point for Carrick’s side, who had a performance full of attacking intent.
In the 76th minute, Dorg cut the lead to two points by converting Matheus Cunha’s cross from close range after beating Rico Ruiz.
Diallo then hit the post to put United ahead, and there was still time for another substitute, Mason Mount, to find the back of the net with his first touch in the 89th minute, but he was ruled offside.
At that point, it hardly mattered. The day belonged to United and Carrick, and after the final whistle, Carrick was all smiles as he congratulated his players.
The great manager Alex Ferguson was watching from the stands, and his smile was as wide as anyone’s at Old Trafford.
United defender Lisandro Martinez told Sky Sports the team heeded Carrick’s call to harness the energy of the fans.
“We showed who we are and today was a great moment to do that. The team, the bench, the staff, everyone came together,” he said.
“One of the important things Michael Carrick said is to harness the energy (of the fans), and we did that today.”
City captain Bernardo Silva lamented his team’s “terrible” performance and said it would be difficult to push Arsenal into the lead.
“They deserved to win today. They had more energy and will. It always felt like they were closer to the goal but we weren’t there,” he told Sky Sports.
He added: “It’s a big difference (against Arsenal). I won’t lie and say it’s not a big difference, it is. We will fight until the end.”
