Manchester United handed Michael Carrick a memorable start to his interim spell in charge on Saturday with a commanding 2–0 Premier League victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford, a result that dented their neighbours’ title hopes.
United controlled much of the contest and finally made their dominance count in the final quarter of the match, despite having three goals ruled out for offside and being denied repeatedly by an outstanding display from Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Bryan Mbeumo, returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, broke the deadlock before Patrick Dorgu added a second to secure only United’s second win in eight league outings.
The result lifts Carrick’s side into the top four and was welcomed just as warmly in north London, with Arsenal now edging closer to a first league title in 22 years. Mikel Arteta’s team can move nine points clear at the summit when they face Nottingham Forest later on Saturday.
Carrick’s selection choices proved decisive, with Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha starting on the bench to accommodate the AFCON returnees Mbeumo and Amad Diallo. Harry Maguire also made his first start in two months and came close to opening the scoring inside two minutes, powering Bruno Fernandes’ corner against the crossbar from close range.
City, meanwhile, continue to feel the impact of defensive injuries. Although a deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi is expected to be completed, Pep Guardiola was forced to field an inexperienced central pairing of Max Alleyne and Abdukodir Khusanov.
That makeshift defence struggled throughout and would have conceded earlier but for Donnarumma’s heroics. The Italian goalkeeper produced a crucial save midway through the first half to deny Dorgu and was beaten twice before the interval, only for both Diallo and Fernandes to be flagged offside after rounding him.
Guardiola attempted to change the flow of the game at half-time by introducing Nico O’Riley and Raya Cherki, but City’s league form continued to falter, extending their winless run to four matches since the start of the year.
Donnarumma remained City’s standout performer beyond the hour, pulling off a remarkable double save from Diallo’s fierce effort and Casemiro’s follow-up.
The breakthrough finally arrived 25 minutes from time following a City mistake. Cherki’s misplaced free-kick sparked a swift United counterattack, and Fernandes delivered a perfectly weighted pass for Mbeumo, who drove a low finish beyond Donnarumma.
Substitute Cunha played a role in the second goal as Dorgu capitalised on a lapse from Rico Lewis, stealing in at the back post to double the lead.
With City still competing on four fronts, Guardiola opted to withdraw Erling Haaland with 10 minutes remaining, conserving the striker’s energy as the visitors’ hopes faded.
Diallo nearly crowned an impressive performance when he struck the post in the 90th minute, while Mason Mount thought he had added a third with his first touch after replacing Fernandes, only for VAR to intervene once more for offside.
By then, however, the damage to City’s title ambitions was already done, and Carrick’s return to the Theatre of Dreams could hardly have gone better.
AFP
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