Manchester United revived the atmosphere at Old Trafford as Michael Carrick’s side defeated Manchester City 2-0, with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu scoring after half-time. The caretaker manager’s second spell began with a calm, organised display that checked City’s form and extended Carrick’s unbeaten record in charge of United.
United controlled long spells of the derby and created enough chances to win by more than two goals. Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Mason Mount all had efforts disallowed, while City struggled to escape pressure from the stands and pitch as Old Trafford responded with constant noise throughout the match.
Carrick highlighted how the crowd influenced the game and stressed that performance, rather than slogans, shaped
United’s display. "I don't want to get carried away with all the DNA kind of thing. We wanted to play well and put things into the game that we thought would help that," Carrick told Sky Sports.
Carrick praised how the players handled both the tactical and emotional demands. "I couldn't ask for any more. The boys took everything on tactically and dealt with it emotionally.I said yesterday it [Old Trafford] was a magic place and it certainly was today. " The description matched the intense atmosphere heard from the first whistle.
This assignment follows Carrick’s return to support Manchester United after Darren Fletcher’s short spell, which came once Ruben Amorim was dismissed. The former England midfielder is still unbeaten as United boss, with a record now standing at P4 W3 D1, building on three matches without defeat during the interim role in 2021.
Carrick accepted the scale of change behind the scenes and the pressure to deliver immediately. "It's as close as we could have hoped for coming into the game. Change is not easy. Then to perform off the back of it," Carrick added, underlining how the group adapted quickly to new instructions.
| Manager / Team | Record or Statistic |
|---|---|
| Michael Carrick – Manchester United | P4 W3 D1 as United boss |
| Manchester City – recent Premier League run | Four games without a win (D2 L2) |
| Manchester City at Old Trafford | 0.45 xG, one shot on target |
| Pep Guardiola vs Manchester United | 10 defeats, joint-most vs any opponent |
The manager described how strongly the squad wanted to respond for supporters after recent turbulence. "I had a real sense in the last few days how desperate the players were to give that feeling of success to the fans.If anything, I was concerned that feeling would go over the top because they are so keen to do well. "
Carrick felt particularly satisfied with the mental control in a heated derby. "But they managed the emotional side of the game unbelievably well.That made me proud, to watch my team have that feeling. " United’s composure contrasted with City’s struggles to build clear chances under pressure from both the opposition and crowd.
Michael Carrick Manchester United tactics and Pep Guardiola record
For City, the defeat continues a difficult Premier League spell. The champions have now gone four league matches without a victory for the first time since December 2024, a sequence of D2 L2 that also contains another loss to United, reflecting a broader drop in domestic momentum.
At Old Trafford, City produced only 0.45 expected goals and hit the target once. Pep Guardiola’s difficulties in this fixture also continued. The Manchester City manager has now lost 10 times to United, the highest number of defeats Guardiola has suffered against any single club, a figure matched only by Liverpool and Tottenham.
Carrick declined to discuss any specific tactical edge over Guardiola, pointing instead to personal respect and United’s own plan. "I am not going to say too much with respect to Pep, he is such an incredible coach and it is such a good team," he continued. "It is not for me to pick them apart publicly.We wanted to play to our strengths. "
The caretaker boss then outlined how several attacking players executed those strengths. "The two wide lads, Amad and Dorgu, were fantastic both ways. Mbeumo and Bruno, [Matheus] Cunha coming on and making the difference, Mount nearly getting the goal.Everything was what we hoped for. " That mix of discipline and threat shaped a derby performance that pleased Carrick and the home stands alike.
