MANCHESTER: A transformed Manchester United kicked off interim manager Michael Carrick’s second stint in charge with an exhilarating 2-0 derby day defeat of Manchester City in the Premier League at a vibrant Old Trafford on Saturday.
Carrick’s attack-minded side swept away the gloom hanging over the club with second-half goals by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu underlining their dominance of a disappointing City whose title hopes suffered a crushing blow.
Mbeumo, just back from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon, finished sweetly in the 65th minute and Dorgu got on the end of Matheus Cunha’s cross to put the home fans in dreamland 10 minutes later.
But for a ⁠superb display by City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and three disallowed goals, United would have enjoyed a far greater margin of victory while the visitors barely threatened as goal machine Erling Haaland hardly got a look-in.
Not only was it a humbling loss for City against their cross-town rivals, it put a huge dent in their hopes of reeling in Arsenal in the Premier League ⁠title race.
Instead of closing the gap at the top to a manageable three points they could find themselves nine adrift if Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest later on Saturday.
For United it was the perfect start to Carrick’s tenure as they moved provisionally into fourth place.
“It’s unbelievable, being here with our people, with the fans, the way we have suffered during the season but today we faced up and showed who we are,” United defender Lisandro Martinez told Sky Sports.
“Michael (Carrick) said use the energy of the people and today we did it.”
One victory in their previous six league ⁠games, and draws against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley had hastened the end of Ruben Amorim’s reign.
But United emerged from the malaise in stunning fashion with former midfielder Carrick unleashing the kind of attacking display that earned him five Premier League titles.
Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo both had goals ruled out in the first half for narrow offsides while Harry Maguire and Diallo were also denied by the woodwork.
Had substitute Mason Mount’s stoppage-time goal not also been ruled out for offside, United would have been celebrating their biggest derby win since 1995.
A dreadful City could have few complaints as they managed only one shot on target — a header by Max Alleyne superbly saved by Senne Lammens.