Manchester United secured a surprising 2-1 victory against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, thanks to late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo.
This win dealt a blow to the struggling Premier League champions, who were on the verge of their third consecutive league defeat.
Ruben Amorim’s City side initially led through Josko Gvardiol’s header, but late errors proved costly.
The match, lacking in overall quality, saw a dramatic turnaround in the final minutes.
Matheus Nunes‘s mistake led to a penalty, converted by Fernandes in the 88th minute.
Moments later, Diallo sealed the victory for United with a precise finish from a tight angle.
This result leaves City with only one win in their last 11 games across all competitions. They currently sit fifth in the table.
Manchester United’s win propelled them to 12th place.
Both teams entered the match following a series of disappointing results, and this was reflected in the initial lack of fluidity in their play.
Manchester United failed to register a single shot on target during the first half.
United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, made some bold decisions ahead of his first Manchester derby.
He excluded Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the match-day squad.
An early injury forced him to substitute Mason Mount for Kobbie Mainoo after just 14 minutes.
It took 20 minutes for City to create their first attempt at goal, with Phil Foden’s half-volley going wide.
Diallo’s shot struck the outside of the post at the other end, but the play was ruled offside.
Growing restlessness among City fans was quelled in the 36th minute when Gvardiol headed in from a De Bruyne cross following a short corner.
This marked the eighth goal conceded by Manchester United from a corner this season, a statistic surpassed only by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tempers flared shortly after as City’s Kyle Walker and United’s Rasmus Hojland clashed, resulting in yellow cards for both players after a brief scuffle.
Manchester United remained in contention during the second half and had a golden opportunity to equalize.
However, Bruno Fernandes’s chipped shot went narrowly wide.
Manchester City failed to register a single shot on target in the second half.
Their game unravelled as Nunes’s errant back pass was intercepted by Diallo, who was then brought down by Nunes, conceding a penalty.
Fernandes successfully converted the penalty, and to City’s dismay, Diallo quickly added a second goal for United, securing the win.
The match highlighted the current struggles of both teams.
Manchester City’s recent form continues to be a cause for concern.
Manchester United showed resilience and capitalized on their opponent’s mistakes to secure a valuable victory.
