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Michael Carrick got off to the perfect start as Manchester United head coach with a victory
Richard Jolly at Old Trafford & Michael JonesSaturday 17 January 2026 17:57 GMT- Bookmark
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A transformed Manchester United began manager Michael Carrick’s second stint in charge with an exhilarating 3-0 derby-day victory over 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 from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu underlining their dominance over a disappointing City side whose title hopes suffered a major blow.
Mbeumo, recently returned from Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon, finished clinically in the 65th minute, and Dorgu got on the end of a Matheus Cunha cross to send the home fans into dreamland 10 minutes later.
But for a superb display by City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and three disallowed goals, United could have enjoyed an even more emphatic margin of victory. The visitors barely threatened, with prolific striker Erling Haaland afforded few chances.
The humbling defeat dealt a significant setback to City’s hopes of reeling in Arsenal in the Premier League title race. Instead of cutting the gap at the top to 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.
Follow all the latest reaction from Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City below:
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Man United vs Man City live
- Man United begin life under Michael Carrick victory over Man City | Live on Sky Sports
- 76' GOAL! Dorgu knocks home United's second from close range (MUN 2-0 MCI)
- 65' GOAL! Mbeumo finshes off rapid counterattack to stun City (MUN 1-0 MCI)
- 41' DISALLOWED! Fernandes is offside as he beats the goalkeeper as well (MUN 0-0 MCI)
- 36' SAVE! Lammens palms away Alleyne's header (MUN 0-0 MCI)
- 33' DISALLOWED! Amad weaves around the goalkeeper and scores but he's offside (MUN 0-0 MCI)
- 23' SAVE! Donnarumma denies Dorgu from close (MUN 0-0 MCI)
- 3' CROSSBAR! Maguire's header rattles the woodwork (MUN 0-0 MCI)
Michael Carrick’s tactical masterclass brings noise and magic back to Old Trafford
Michael Carrick was mild-mannered to the last. His expression was sober, his immediate reaction to offer handshakes.
To look at him, it was not evident Manchester United had recorded the most emphatic of derby wins. Yet the soundtrack was different, the chorus of Carrick’s name coming from the Stretford End.
And if Carrick was calm, a glance at many another told a different tale.
Michael Carrick’s tactical masterclass brings noise and magic back to Old Trafford
Man Utd 2-0 Man City: Carrick’s team dominated the Premier League derby clash that excited and enthralled supportersRichard Jolly17 January 2026 16:03Carrick on Dalot's potential red card
“I literally haven’t seen it to be honest,” said Carrick when asked if Diogo Dalot should have been sent off.
“At the time I thought he’d kicked the ball out but the fourth official said he hadn’t. I’ve not seen the offside decisions either but apparently they were close. If it went for us, it went for us and we’ll take it.
“For so many reasons, today was special. But it’s one game and it’s really important we don’t get carried away.
“We need to maintain that level of performance. It’s a great day and a fantastic results. We’ll soak it up and enjoy, but it’s definitely not enough. It’s never enough.”
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:49They made me proud
More from Carrick who added: “I said yesterday, Old Trafford is a magic place and it certainly was today. We all felt that.
“They’re a wonderful team and it’s not for me to pick them apart publicly. We wanted to play to our strengths: we needed to be compact and keep the distances short between positions, and I thought the front four were fantastic. It was everything we hoped for and hence we got a good result.
“I had a real sense before the game of how desperate the players were to give success to the supporters. If anything I was more concerned that feeling [might spill over]. They managed the emotional side of the game unbelievably well. That made me proud.”
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:45Michael Carrick's post match reaction
The Man Utd boss said: “I don’t want to get carried away with all that DNA stuff. We wanted to play well today; we wanted to put things into the game that we felt would help us to do that.
“We defended well as a team and when we had the ball I thought we looked dangerous.
“It’s an easy thing to say, but we couldn’t have asked for any more.
“The boys gave everything in so many ways: three days to prepare, little bits of information here and there, they took everything on board tactically and emotionally they were able to deal with the game exactly as we hoped.”
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:41Man Utd created the better chances
Other than possession, of which City had 68%, Man Utd dominated in most of the other areas.
They had 11 shots compared to City’s seven and seven of those were on target.
City did not have a shot on target at all in the second half.
United’s xG was also 2.03 with City’s low at 0.45.
United’s players also covered more distance and spent more time sprinting around the pitch.
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:37Can Man City still win the title?
Man City’s manager added: "It is about how we grow up as a team. I have the feeling we have done very good things so far.
“To be better you may have to take a step back. The season is a long way and you have to continue to analyse."
(Getty Images)Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:33Should Dalot have been shown a red card?
"You could say that, you could say that red card, different game,” Pep Guardiola said.
“Many, many situations happen. It is easy for me to come here and say it should be a red card.
“It is not about that, we will not grow up if that is the argument to win or lose a game. To do you have to do better and we didn't today."
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:29Guardiola on the crowd noise
"They started really strong, we lost one or two balls. The crowd is normal, because it is a derby,” Guardiola added.
“In many years they have been behind them and also with the new manager it is normal these kind of things in the game.
"We never made a threat or a cross or a movement to try and win that. It is also part of the energy, win or lose it is about what we do with the ball as well, not just without.
"It is not about one player."
(Manchester United via Getty Imag)Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:25The better team won
Pep Guardiola conceded that his Manchester City side were not at the races during this contest and that United deserved to win.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game he said: "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."
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:21What had changed at Man Utd?
Mbeumo was, of course, away on international duty when Ruben Amorim was sacked.
He returned to Old Trafford with the club undergoing more change.
He said: "When I came back a lot of things changed. I think we have a very good group. We always stick together. We have a fantastic unit, so it is unbelievable.
"It is a bit of everything. It is not easy because we only had three days. Because we are all together, we all want to win the same way with the same aim."
Mike Jones17 January 2026 15:17Newer1 / 13OlderMore about
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