Red Devils v Sky Blues: The Derby that Delivered

In an unexpected turn of events, Manchester United dominated the Manchester Derby - but how is it that they managed to pull off this incredible feat and come away victorious over Manchester City?

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Following on from his stint as interim manager, Michael Carrick came back as Manchester United’s caretaker boss, and stunned all as his side pulled off a 2-0 victory against a top-form Manchester City. Despite it being Carrick’s first game back, his squad have already shown big improvements and demonstrated a newfound passion for the game.

The lineup of the squad in itself brought about some questions, with a 4-2-3-1 leaving many confused. Dorgu and Amad were put out of their usual wing-back positions, playing upfront with Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbuemo. This proved to be a brilliant line-up that made Manchester City’s defence crumble, as they faced the relentless pressure and force from the front four. Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo occupied the midfield - this was Mainoo’s first start for the team in the new season and his abilities proved strong and fiery. The back four were particularly tough; Maguire, Shaw, Martinez, and Dalot easily held back Manchester City, with Lammens making good saves when it mattered the most. 

Manchester United came back with a bang when Harry Maguire hit the crossbar in the first few minutes of the game. This was followed by disallowed goal after disallowed goal. Manchester City appeared to be crumbling right in front of our eyes as they barely kept up with the onslaught of attacks from the Red Devils. Despite having 68% possession over the course of the game, they seemed to be losing confidence, unable to counter with enough attacking force to match their opponents. 

Though it is no excuse for their performance, Dalot’s foul that resulted in a controversial yellow card instead of a red threw a spanner in the works for a short time. Yet, the second half proved to be no better for City. Amad and Mbuemo’s link-up gave Manchester United the first goal, followed up by another just 11 minutes later by Patrick Dorgu, securing their win for the 198th Manchester Derby. 

And, although this is just the beginning of a very long road to former glory, how is it that Manchester United’s side were able to best Manchester City? And how is it that they managed to beat City, despite being in poor form themselves?

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The return of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbueno saw a huge change in terms of momentum. It is no secret that while they were gone, Manchester United were suffering. In the last 5 games, the Red Devils won once and drew three times. Diallo and Mbueno brought back with them a creative flair which swiftly sliced through City’s defences and provided more opportunities for the team. That’s not all though; Dorgu has been consistently putting in effort over the course of the season, particularly in recent games. In the Derby, he was constantly running back and forth on the pitch, his efforts eventually rewarded with a well-deserved goal. Additionally, having Kobbie Mainoo in the squad brought real impact. Carrick brought him in from the lineup and he didn’t hesitate - showing resolve and determination as he provided vital chances for United. 

It goes without saying that, in recent times, Manchester United’s defence has been weak. With Maguire and Shaw out, goals that should have been easily prevented have slipped through, leaving fans dumbfounded. Games that should have gone United’s way have ended in draws, disappointing many. With Maguire and Shaw back, and Martinez’s defensive brilliance; Manchester United’s defence, at times, looked unbreakable. Lammens made some vital saves, his job becoming a lot easier thanks to the defensive line. 

Ultimately, though, the man of the hour has got to be Bruno Fernandes. As Manchester United’s top player, it is clear that Carrick has recognised his importance for the team and acted accordingly. Instead of trying to squeeze Manchester United into a rigid 3-4-3 that clearly doesn’t work for them, Carrick structured the team around the captain, the squad falling into a 4-4-2 at times which helped with counters and grounded the team defensively. Combining the range of Fernandes with the pace of Dorgu, Amad, and Mbuemo, United was able to counter City's high defensive line. 

Donoruma was City’s saving grace, effectively protecting the team against a potential humiliation at Old Trafford. His incredible performance defended against the onslaught from Manchester United, but, ultimately, the Red Devils were just too relentless in their attacks. Maguire held off a completely harmless Haaland in the match, unable to help his 1 goal in the last 7 games for Manchester City. After being taken off, it appeared that City’s chances of a win, let alone a goal, were reduced to zero. Within the game, Manchester City had much more possession and corners, but only managed a single shot on target - they were not a threat to the Red Devils. Pep Guardiola spoke about his thoughts on the defeat to Sky Sports:

“The better team won. They were better. When a team is better, you have to accept it. They had the energy we didn’t have, so congratulations.

“They had the chances at the end and of course, the goals we conceded were poorly. We didn’t control but in general, we can talk about this action or that action. We have the duty to analyse the game in general and they were better.”

(Image credits to Michael Regan/Getty Images)

United came out strong and ready, gave it everything on the pitch and shook Manchester City to the core, leaving everyone stunned. However, Carrick made sure to bring Manchester United fans back down to earth. He said the following to Sky Sports:

“Today was special, putting things together quickly and trying to put an imprint on the team. “Gathering together and emotionally getting attached to what we want to do. I felt that from the staff and the players.

“I am not getting carried away. It is one result, but it needs to be a regular feeling with that level of performance.”

Manchester United next face off against Arsenal this coming weekend. Playing away from home, will they continue on this positive trajectory under Michael Carrick? 

Article written by Naeemah Pathan