A revitalised Manchester United kicked off interim manager Michael Carrick’s second spell in charge in emphatic fashion, securing a thrilling 2-0 Premier League derby victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Carrick’s attack-minded side banished the gloom that had surrounded the club, with second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealing a dominant display against a disappointing City side whose title ambitions took a significant hit.
Mbeumo, just back from Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 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 Manchester United, the victory marked a perfect start to Carrick’s tenure, as the result lifted them provisionally into fourth place in the Premier League standings.
