Premier League news: Derby delight for Michael Carrick as Man Utd beat Man City at Old Trafford
Manchester United beat rivals Manchester City 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday in Michael Carrick’s first game as caretaker manager.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu did the job for the Red Devils, whose struggles for consistency this season led to Ruben Amorim’s recent sacking.
City, meanwhile, find themselves seven points behind league leaders Arsenal after a damaging defeat.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews the latest instalment of the Manchester derby.
Red Devils’ ongoing drama
When an emotional Jerry Maguire talked of cynical worlds, tough business, and tough competitors – as he monologued his heart out to Dorothy Boyd – I don’t think he was thinking of Old Trafford.
He might as well have been, though.
As Hollywood blockbusters go, you really couldn’t write the script at postcode M16.
Where do I begin? Ruben Amorim? Darren Fletcher? Michael Carrick?
The Glazers and Ineos? Jason Wilcox, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and redundancies? Serial chokers seemingly allergic to the top four?
Where will this drama end? And more pertinently, where would it start for Carrick?
At the deep end is where – City at home followed by Arsenal away, presumably culminating in a summer departure as United’s hierarchy give themselves some breathing space to find their next lamb.
The former United star has, more or less, a free hit.
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Encouraging start for Carrick
Carrick’s first act of that hit was to make five changes from Darren Fletcher’s selection that bombed out of the FA Cup last weekend.
Thankfully, Amad Diallo and Mbeumo were back from AFCON expeditions, with Cunha and Benjamin Šeško dropping to the bench.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw formed part of a back four while Casemiro replaced Manuel Ugarte alongside Kobbie Mainoo in midfield.
As for City, they had been flexing the chequebook with the pending arrival of Marc Guéhi bolstering the recent Antoine Semenyo snatch from Bournemouth.
And despite three draws on the spin, they have been building well over the last 12 months – indeed, Arsenal fans were no doubt as twitchy as me pre-match.
They would also have been buoyed, as was I, by the start as United should have been one-up inside three minutes, but Maguire’s slab of a forehead was only able to crash the ball against the crossbar at the far post from Bruno Fernandes’ inswinging corner.
Mbeumo was then almost in after City pissed about with it on the halfway line but Gianluigi Donnarumma was alert enough. It was encouraging at least.
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Shaky from the visitors
My mate Diogo Dalot was in the book after 10 minutes, catching Jérémy Doku around his knee.
I’ve seen reds for less, yet VAR disagreed with me and the Portuguese remained on the pitch. It looked like a red card all day long.
Shaw was subsequently carded after taking out Rodri on halfway, with United incensed as it looked like Dorgu had been fouled seconds earlier.
Referee Anthony Taylor waved it away but United were firing into their neighbours, which was nice to see.
United broke well again, but Dalot did Dalot things and spunked it straight into touch then blamed Amad.
I sighed and made that noise you make when you see one of those Instagram reels where an idiot does something stupid, like dangles their arm in a crocodile’s mouth or pokes a firework out of their arse crack and ends up with third-degree burns.
The hosts had another great chance, Amad into Fernandes, who was finding plenty of space out there, but Dorgu was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Another Fernandes out ball saw Amad away ,but it also came to nothing before Bruno found Mbeumo 12 yards out, only for his defender to nick it off his toes before he could strike.
City’s backline was a little bit Shakin’ Stevens.
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United maintain aggression, pace
United came again, Fernandes in a pocket of space to roll the ball across to Amad, who raced goalwards and danced round the keeper to finish, but the offside flag saved the visitors, with the youngster half a yard offside.
Senne Lammens gave away a cheap corner with 10 minutes left of the half and City nearly profited, Dalot – yes, Dalot – combining with Lammens to save the day with a clearance off the line when it looked like Max Alleyne’s header was going in at the far post.
Semenyo flashed one wide of the far post as City looked to have found their feet and Carrick barked orders from his technical area.
United thought they were ahead again in the 40th minute, Lisandro Martínez lofting one over the top for Fernandes, who showed incredible composure to round the keeper and avoid the lunging defender before cutting back onto his other foot and passing the ball home.
It was a late flag as the majority of Old Trafford celebrated but the correct one.
Rodri earned himself a caution for a foul on Dorgu as we edged towards the end of added time, but it was a good half from the hosts – derby aggression, pace on the counter, defending well (so far at least).
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Donnarumma heroics frustrate hosts
Pep Guardiola made two changes at the break: Phil Foden off for Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly on for Alleyne.
Amad quickly robbed O’Reilly on halfway, who was booked within three minutes of his arrival. We needed the same intensity as the first half, please.
Martínez was needed to rescue his side after Dalot misplaced a pass on the edge of his own box, flying in to block Erling Haaland’s strike. Dalot, again.
How United weren’t ahead, I don't know. Well, I do – Donnarumma.
Dorgu switched beautifully to Amad, who took on his man and fired fiercely goalwards for the big Italian to parry out.
Casemiro was first to react and stayed on his feet under challenge, trying to lift the ball over the former PSG man, but Donnarumma’s foot kept his goal intact.
It was better, so much better, but we have all seen this play out before. If you don’t take your chances, odds are you’ll get sucker-punched in the gut.
United went again and Donnarumma was at it again, this time denying Mbeumo after Fernandes found him at the far post, but his effort into the ground was punched away.
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Mbeumo breaks the deadlock
Maguire was then penalised for a foul on Haaland 25 yards from goal, but United broke from the free-kick in devastating fashion to finally break the deadlock with 25 minutes left.
The England international’s defensive header was picked up by Mbeumo, who cleverly clipped the ball into Fernandes on the break.
Bruno carried the ball forward as City were caught short and with a man over either side, he had six touches at pace before perfectly weighting the pass to his left and into Mbeumo on the run who converted past Donnarumma.
Amad fired one across the face of goal after more Fernandes vision before Carrick made his first change, Cunha on for the goalscorer.
City were still probing, but their possession usually ended with a United body in the way or taking off toes. The hosts were good value for their lead.
Rico Lewis was booked for pulling back Dorgu, who had been a tireless outlet all game, and we were into the final 15 minutes of normal time.
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Dorgu seals priceless victory
In the end, it was the young Dane who made it two.
Cunha and Amad combined on the right before the Brazilian ran at Lewis, getting a low cross in that Dorgu wanted more than his marker as he got across him and stretched to steer the ball home.
A raft of subs followed, but I was still hanging off the ceiling.
Haaland was hoiked off amongst three for City much to the delight of the Stretford End, while Manuel Ugarte relieved a knackered Casemiro on the other side, the latter having been truly superb all afternoon.
United now needed to see it out with minimal drama.
Amad almost put the cherry on top, racing through, holding off his defender, and only being denied by the width of the post – a goal he would have massively deserved.
It was hard to criticise anyone in red, obviously apart from Dalot, but Fernandes had been superb and rightly took an ovation as he was replaced by Mason Mount.
Mount in turn thought he had scored with his first touch after Amad fed Cunha on the right and he crossed for the England man.
VAR spoiled the party yet again with another chalk off, not that it mattered as this game was done.
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Throwback to the past
The result had me asking the obvious question of where this passion, pride, and performance has been hiding of late.
We’d seen glimpses going forward all season and Amad and Mbuemo’s directness, pace, and running in behind do make a huge difference.
Here, there was steel, there was aggression, and there was chance after chance – it was almost a throwback to the old days, when you came to Old Trafford and you got beaten up as well as outplayed.
Where was this against 10-man Everton or the West Hams et al?
United scored two, had three chalked off, and hit both bar and post. They mauled a City side going for the title and unbeaten in nine. They even finally made it into the top four, at least until the afternoon kick-offs.
Maybe the timing is perfect for Carrick, with big players returning at the right time from injury and international duty, an anaemic fixture list, and the love of a fanbase who won’t turn on him quickly.
Next season … well, let’s worry about that then.
Jerry had Dorothy at “hello”.
Carrick had me at half past two.
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