Michael Carrick made his debut as Manchester United manager with an emphatic 2–0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford in a Premier League Matchday 22 clash. The result snapped a four-game winless run, ended City’s 13-game unbeaten streak this season, and lifted United, at least temporarily, back into the top four. More than the scoreline, it was the manner of the performance that stood out. United were intense and aggressive from the opening minute, something that hadn’t been seen for weeks.
If anything, the score flattered City. Manchester United created enough chances to win by a wider margin but were denied by three offside goals and a decisive performance from Donnarumma, who spared the visitors a more embarrassing night.
Carrick shifts the mood and the shape of United
Carrick set the team up in a 4-2-3-1, with Mbeumo operating as a mobile reference point up front. The move paid off. His constant movement targeted City’s high line and opened space for Dorgu and Amad to attack down the flanks. United came out suffocating. Just three minutes in, Maguire rattled the crossbar. Soon after, Dorgu tried his luck from a tight angle, and Amad finished a counterattack cleanly, only to see the goal ruled out for offside.
Still in the first half, Diallo and Bruno Fernandes both dribbled past Donnarumma and scored in nearly identical plays, and both goals were again disallowed by the officials. None of it slowed United down. The team kept pressing, defended with focus, and attacked at pace whenever space appeared.
Donnarumma prevents a rout
If City stayed alive through the first half, much of the credit goes to Donnarumma. After the break, he made at least four crucial saves, including a remarkable sequence in which he denied Diallo and then, on the rebound, blocked Casemiro’s close-range effort inside the box. He also turned away a dangerous volley from Mbeumo before finally being beaten.
The opening goal came in the 65th minute on a quick counterattack that started after a City free kick. Mbeumo finished with precision. The second followed with Dorgu left unmarked in the box after a low cross from Matheus Cunha, who came on strong and added tempo to the attack. In stoppage time, Mount found the net as well, but VAR ruled it out for Cunha’s offside position earlier in the play.
The win takes Manchester United to 35 points and restores confidence to a squad under pressure. For City, the warning signs are clear. Winless in four Premier League matches in 2026, the team missed a chance to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal and is starting to show vulnerability at a decisive point in the season.