Michael Carrick’s tenure as interim head coach of Manchester United began with a deserved 2-0 victory over bitter rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford in EPL.
2025/2026 Premier League
2-0
Match Report
Michael Carrick marked his Manchester United homecoming by restoring a familiar feeling as an attacking display secured his side derby day spoils with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Carrick – who was previously United's caretaker manager for three games in 2021 – insisted this week that Old Trafford had not lost any of its magic, and his team produced an enchanting performance to deal a further blow to City's dwindling title hopes.
United flew out of the traps as Harry Maguire headed against the crossbar from close range only three minutes in, while they were also denied by the offside flag twice in the first half.
Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes both rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma and tapped home only to see the flag raised, while Dorgu forced a good reaction save from Donnarumma.
City's best chance saw a combination of Senne Lammens and Diogo Dalot block Max Alleyne's header, and things did not get any better for Pep Guardiola's team after half-time.
Mbeumo started and finished a fluid counter-attack from a City free-kick in the 65th minute, rolling his finish across Donnarumma after being teed up by Fernandes.
And Dorgu effectively killed the contest when he swept home from Matheus Cunha's right-wing cross in the 76th minute, with United passing up further chances to make the scoreline more emphatic.
Amad fired against the post after turning Nathan Ake inside-out, while Mason Mount became the third United player to have a goal disallowed when he turned another Cunha centre home.
City could now find themselves nine points adrift of Arsenal by the end of Saturday's play, while United climb, at least temporarily, into the top four.
Data Debrief: Derby-day magic for Carrick
Carrick could hardly have asked for a better start to his second stint in the United dugout, and he remains unbeaten in four games in charge of the Red Devils overall (W3 D1).
Mbeumo was at the heart of everything positive for United, having been fielded as a centre-forward in Carrick's 4-2-3-1 system. This was his seventh Premier League appearance against City, and he scored his first goal against them in the competition.
Since the start of last season, only Mohamed Salah (eight) and Antoine Semenyo (six) have scored more Premier League goals from fast breaks than Mbeumo's five.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has now suffered 10 defeats to United – his joint-most against any club in his managerial career (also versus Liverpool and Tottenham).
Demonstrating just how far off the pace City were, Erling Haaland had only 14 touches with two coming in the United box.
The Norwegian has gone seven games without scoring a non-penalty goal – his longest run while playing for a team in Europe's top five leagues (Man City or Borussia Dortmund).
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Maguire sees his header crash off the crossbar after meeting a corner kick
5' Man City almost makes a mistake but Donnarumma manages to clear the ball
9' Doku fails to send a pass into the box as his effort is cut out
11' Yellow Card! Dalot booked as he brougt down Doku
15' Bernardo meets a cross from Semenyo but sends his header flies over the bar
17' Yellow Card! Luke Shaw booked due to a late challenge on Rodri
20' This is Derby! There are some conflicts and quarrels between Maguire & Bernardo
21' Dorgu latches on to a cross, controls the ball but his strike is saved
29' Mainoo makes a late challange on Rodri, who is down painfully
29' Mbeumo manages to produce a promising header but Khusanov stops his effort
32' Mbeumo nearly gets in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but it is cleared in time
33' Amad Diallo's goal is disallowed due to offside!
34' Doku cuts inside and unleashes a shot but it is saved by the keeper
39' Semenyo takes aim from the edge of the box, but his strike is just wide!
39' Dalot makes a goal-line clearance to deny City's header
40' DISALLOWED AGAIN! Bruno Fernandes has a goal ruled out for offside
46' Cherki and Max Alleyne off, Foden and Nico O'Reilly come on
48' Yellow Card! Nico O'Reilly booked due to a harsh tackle on Diallo
54' Haaland receives a pass and instantly thumps the ball goalward, but it is denied
57' Amad Diallo's effort towards the right side of the goal is saved by Donnarumma
62' Mbeumo hammers a powerful shot from close range, but the keeper makes a save
65' GOAL! Mbeumo runs onto a pass from Bruno and scores! Man Utd 1-0 Man City
67' Diallo connects with a pass, but his effort goes well wide of the post
72' Match Event for Man Utd vs Man City
76' GOAL! Dorgu volleys the ball into the net as Cunha assists! Man Utd 2-0 Man City
78' Highlight from Man Utd vs Man City
80' Divine Mukasa replaces Erling Haaland
87' Rico Lewis drives another shot towards goal, but it goes high over the bar
90' Diallo strikes an effort to beat the keeper, but it hits the right post
92' Mason Mount's goal is disallowed due to offside!
Line-ups
Man Utd XI: Casemiro, Maguire, Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Bryan Mbeumo, Senne Lammens, Amad Diallo Traore, Mainoo, Patrick Dorgu
Subs: Mount, Altay Bayındır, Ugarte, Matheus Cunha, Malacia, Benjamin Sesko, Yoro, Jack Fletcher, Ayden Heaven
Man City XI: Ake, Bernardo Silva, Donnarumma, Rodri, Haaland, Foden, Antoine Semenyo, Doku, Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Max Alleyne
Subs: Bettinelli, Reijnders, Rayan Aït-Nouri, James Trafford, Cherki, Nico O'Reilly, Stephen Mfuni, Divine Mukasa, Ryan McAidoo