Michael Carrick enjoyed a dream start to life in the Manchester United hotseat as Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu secured a morale-boosting 2-0 derby victory against title-chasing Manchester City.
The 198th competitive meeting of the cross-town rivals saw the side that started the day seventh in the Premier League host second and the Red Devils’ former midfielder, captain and coach take charge for the first time since his return.
Carrick was this week named head coach until the end of the season and oversaw an immediate improvement, with second-half goals from Mbeumo and Dorgu securing United a deserved win against City at a reinvigorated Old Trafford.
It was an impressive all-round display from the hosts, who put a fraught fortnight following Ruben Amorim’s acrimonious exit behind them in style on their way to a first victory since Boxing Day.
Pep Guardiola’s side rarely threatened Carrick’s men, who would have won by more was it not for some impressive Gianluigi Donnarumma saves, the woodwork and three goals being ruled out for offside.
Stuttering title challengers City may well be aggrieved that Diogo Dalot was not sent off for an early challenge on Jeremy Doku, but the red side of Manchester will not care a jot.
Carrick’s delight was clear after Saturday lunchtime’s win, which followed his unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021.
Harry Maguire was one of the five changes made by the new boss and he went so close to scoring a third-minute opener as he met a corner with a crashing header off the crossbar.
United’s intense approach was unsettling City but was nearly undone by an early red card after Dalot’s late challenge left Doku writhing in pain.
Referee Anthony Taylor handed him a yellow card that VAR Craig Pawson confirmed having decided it was only glancing contact without excessive force.
City were dominating possession but United looked most threatening.
Dorgu forced a save out of Donnarumma and Amad Diallo found the net after rounding Donnarumma, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Bruno Fernandes would also see a goal of his own chalked off as United bounced back after a shaky spell that included Senne Lammens saving his side, and his own blushes, when stopping Max Alleyne heading home at a corner he needlessly gave away.
Phil Foden, goaded by the United fans from the outset, and Alleyne were replaced at the break, but City continued on the backfoot.
Diallo cut away from shaky half-time introduction Nico O’Reilly and forced Donnarumma into a save, with the goalkeeper then brilliantly stopping Casemiro scoring the follow-up.
City’s number one denied Mbeumo as United pushed for a goal that would arrive in the 65th minute at the end of a fine break.
Maguire headed away a free-kick and Mbeumo nicked the ball away from a City player, with the hosts charging forwards as Fernandes took the ball up the middle.
United outnumbered the visitors and the skipper coolly slipped in Mbeumo, back from the Africa Cup of Nations, to hit a fine strike across Donnarumma. Carrick jumped in delight in the technical area.
Diallo lasered a shot across the face of goal before Mbeumo left to a standing ovation. Replacement Matheus Cunha soon made a telling impact, sending in a cross from the right that Dorgu nipped ahead of Rico Lewis to direct home in the 76th minute.
Erling Haaland’s substitution was cheered by the Old Trafford faithful, who then saw Diallo hit an upright, while Mason Mount’s goal was ruled out for another offside in stoppage time.
