On 65 minutes Michael Carrick’s second tenure went electric as Manchester United scored a classic breakaway goal by Bryan Mbeumo that sent the interim head coach berserk in the technical area.
After a clearing Harry Maguire header, the ball evaded Rayan Cherki and Bruno Fernandes galloped forward. He had Amad Diallo to the right and Patrick Dorgu and Mbeumo on the left; United’s streetwise captain delayed the pass, then found the Cameroonian, whose finish beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Old Trafford – the blue zone apart – went into near combustion, the atmosphere supercharged as the neighbours from across town went behind in the 198th derby.
This was precisely what United deserved for taking the contest to City all afternoon, and more soon followed. Carrick had dropped the in-form Benjamin Sesko for Mbeumo. Six minutes after the opener, he removed the scorer, due to his recent Africa Cup of Nations endeavours, in favour of Matheus Cunha and the Brazilian created the second.
This was simple as Cunha whipped in a cross from the right and Dorgu nipped in front of a slumbering Rico Lewis to pinball home off the right post.
The red congregation was in raptures, Pep Guardiola a picture of impotency, slumped in his seat. Further glee for the home fans followed when Erling Haaland was taken off, making it no goals from open play in seven matches for Manchester City’s No 9.
After brickbats from Roy Keane and only four days at the helm, this was the very best of starts for Carrick, as United finished the day in fifth, only one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool. Next, he will plot how to overturn Arsenal in north London on Sunday week.
For City’s title challenge this was a dark day – at the final whistle they remained in second, six points off the leaders, but Mikel Arteta’s team can extend that at Nottingham Forest in the late game.
City were unable to contain the pace of United, who refused to let go of the jugular – Amad’s curving run then shot that crashed off the right post as the regulation 90 minutes ran down as emblematic as Mason Mount’s strike, ruled out for offside, in added time.
The first half intrigued, as United went toe-to-toe with City, edging a period in which they were composed while those in blue started nervously, with Max Alleyne making three errors.
Two of these were balls aimed for Nathan Aké that went into touch on the left, and the third a weak backpass that nearly allowed Mbeumo to beat Donnarumma to the ball. Further City shakiness featured Jérémy Doku scuffing a corner low to Fernandes, the first defender at the near post, with United also in ruthless mode, as illustrated when Diogo Dalot caught Doku high on the shin.
Anthony Taylor booked the right-back – Guardiola believed it should have been a sending-off – but this was a calling card as clear as Luke Shaw’s upending of Rodri that likewise drew a yellow, tempers fraying further when Maguire manhandled Bernardo Silva in front of the Stretford End.
Yet after United had sliced through City in two or three early forays, a warning was sent, Antoine Semenyo the messenger via a cross that Silva blazed over from close in.
Earlier, Maguire’s header hit City’s bar from a Fernandes corner, and further dalliances with the visitors’ goal featured Dalot’s misplaced pass meant for Amad and Mbeumo refusing a volley so that Dorgu could shoot, Donnarumma repelling the effort at close range.
There was a pleasing flow to the contest. Amad would knife into City’s area, Doku would expertly dispossess him and two or three seconds later Kobbie Mainoo was blocking the Belgian’s effort near his D, after a lightning counter. Amad then rounded Donnarumma and finished but was offside.
As Matheus Nunes had flu, Guardiola drafted Rico Lewis in at right-back yet a player beloved by his manager for locating pockets was stopped from doing so by the United express train.
For the second half Guardiola removed Alleyne and the anonymous Phil Foden for Nico O’Reilly and Rayan Cherki. Here was proof that City had been inferior and when O’Reilly began with a booking – for holding Amad – there was further encouragement for United.
Then, a curio for being a curio – a Haaland shot that came from his right foot and was blocked, before Senne Lammens collected the resulting corner. Then came United’s grandstand finish and Carrick walking off, at the final whistle, to applause.
