Manchester United's interim head coach Michael Carrick kicked off his tenure in style with a resounding 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford. The electric atmosphere was palpable as Bryan Mbeumo scored the opening goal, with Patrick Dorgu netting the second just minutes later.
Carrick had dropped Benjamin Sesko for Mbeumo before the opener and continued to make changes throughout the game, with Matheus Cunha coming on in place of the scorer. The Brazilian created the second goal after whipping in a cross from the right, which Dorgu deftly nipped in front of Rico Lewis to score.
The City fans were left reeling as their team was held in check by United's pacey forwards. Even Erling Haaland, City's star striker, was replaced early in the second half, with Mbeumo continuing to cause problems for the City backline.
As United took control of the game, Carrick's tactics seemed to be paying off. The team was composed and ruthless, with Diogo Dalot's tackle on Jérémy Doku and Luke Shaw's challenge on Rodri being just two examples of their intensity.
However, City refused to give up, with Antoine Semenyo having a cross blown over by Bernardo Silva in the first half. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire's header from a Fernandes corner hit the bar before Rico Lewis repelled Dorgu's volley at close range.
As the regulation 90 minutes came to an end, United celebrated their hard-fought victory with a grandstand finish, leaving City frustrated and Carrick walking off to a rapturous applause. The win has lifted Manchester United into fifth place, just one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool, while City remain in second but seven points adrift of the leaders.
Carrick had dropped Benjamin Sesko for Mbeumo before the opener and continued to make changes throughout the game, with Matheus Cunha coming on in place of the scorer. The Brazilian created the second goal after whipping in a cross from the right, which Dorgu deftly nipped in front of Rico Lewis to score.
The City fans were left reeling as their team was held in check by United's pacey forwards. Even Erling Haaland, City's star striker, was replaced early in the second half, with Mbeumo continuing to cause problems for the City backline.
As United took control of the game, Carrick's tactics seemed to be paying off. The team was composed and ruthless, with Diogo Dalot's tackle on Jérémy Doku and Luke Shaw's challenge on Rodri being just two examples of their intensity.
However, City refused to give up, with Antoine Semenyo having a cross blown over by Bernardo Silva in the first half. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire's header from a Fernandes corner hit the bar before Rico Lewis repelled Dorgu's volley at close range.
As the regulation 90 minutes came to an end, United celebrated their hard-fought victory with a grandstand finish, leaving City frustrated and Carrick walking off to a rapturous applause. The win has lifted Manchester United into fifth place, just one point behind fourth-placed Liverpool, while City remain in second but seven points adrift of the leaders.
!!! carrick totally smashed it with his tactics! i loved how he dropped sesko for mbeumo and made those changes mid-game - it was like he had a plan and executed it flawlessly 
also, diogo dalot's tackle on doku was SO intense 
and that grandstand finish at the end was pure class 
1-2 win over city is no joke, but carrick proved it can be done 
2-0 for man utd is insane what was with benjamin sesko tho getting dropped for bryan mbeumo?? i feel like carrick's tactics were spot on, those pacey forwards gave city fits 
6th jan 2023 all over again 
Omg what's going on at Old Trafford rn?! Michael Carrick absolutely smashed it with this 2-0 win over Man City! That Bryan Mbeumo goal was pure fire 
One thing's for sure, this win has lifted United into fifth place and they're now just one point behind Liverpool. City are still in second but seven points off the leaders... we'll have to see how this season unfolds 
Carrick's tactics are on point, all those subs were genius moves! Mbeumo was a beast out there, I'm loving his speed and skill 
. And that second goal by Cunha... what a cross 
. I'm so stoked for United, they're playing some of the best football in the league right now 
i mean benjamin sesko was dropped for mbeumo and it paid off big time!!! 
dorgu's goal was incredible, and the way carrick changed his tactics in the second half really showed what he's capable of!!!! 
. I'm loving the team's confidence right now 
. 2-0 vs Man City? That's an easy win if you ask me 
. That's gotta be some clever tactics from Carrick, right? 
But seriously, this victory might just be a fluke 
. City were pretty one-dimensional without their top player, and Man U will need to step up their game if they wanna stay in contention 
.
and those subs he made really paid off! Benjamin Sesko should've started though 
, but who needs experience when you have pacey forwards like Bryan Mbeumo? 
Matheus Cunha was a great addition too, that Brazilian dude is a genius! 
