The first match of the Michael Carrick era brought a very welcome change in swagger from the squad, and an even better performance.
Manchester United took down their noisy neighbors Manchester City to the tune of 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday, kicking off the Premier League weekend with a thoroughly enjoyable and much-needed win.
Carrick set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 with Mbeumo leading the line, Bruno in his favored No. 10 role and Amad and Dorgu on either wing. A pivot midfield of Casemiro and Kobbie
Mainoo backed them up and a back four of Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire guarding Senne Lammens’ goal.
Manchester City had most of the possession in the first half, and indeed the whole match, as expected, but only had one real effort on target for their efforts. United on the other hand looked a bit more themselves, finding opportunities on the break and sending runners in behind. Two goals were flagged for offside in the first half, with both being correct by just a matter of inches, but it was a sign of things to come in the second half.
And it was a half where United played the Blues off the pitch.
The plan didn’t change too much, but there was more direction and intention with United’s efforts. Their ventures forward came more and more frequently, and the Reds created six meaningful efforts, with four big chances and two goals.
The first fell to Bryan Mbeumo, who finished what looked like a classic Manchester United coutnerattack from the moment the entourage crossed the halfway line.
Bruno Fernandes galloped forward with options on either side of him, Amad breaking open to the right and Mbeumo lapping wide left into space. Bruno waited until just before breaching the final third to play the pass, but a perfect pass it was into the path of Mbeumo, who fired calmly past Donnarumma for 1-0.
It felt like watching Manchester United again, and the Stretford End felt it too. For all of the weird discourse around “DNA” and the Yanited Way, there’s not much that can be done to take away the positive vibe of what became a damn good thrashing and a refreshingly positive performance to seal a Manchester Derby win. With that came a willingness to push for more, and more is what they got.
Rather than bringing on a defender, Carrick sent on Matheus Cunha for the final 20 minutes or so, and it wasn’t long until he was making a difference with a run into the channel on the right. He picked up his head and played an excellent ball across goal for Patrick Dorgu, who matched with a finish to Donnarumma’s right for 2-0.
It could have been 3-0 with another goal for Mason Mount in stoppage time, but like Bruno and Amad in the first half it was disallowed for a narrow offside call. It certainly didn’t sour the mood, though.
A very good performance and three points for the Reds, but it’s onto the next one, a road test at league-leaders Arsenal next weekend.
