Manchester United earned a famous derby victory against their City rivals, with Amad Diallo stealing the show in an inspired performance that saw his side claim a comeback 2-1 win.
Heading into the fixture off back-to-back domestic defeats, much of the initial optimism appeared to have faded from the face of Ruben Amorim.
His decision to omit Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the matchday squad raised more than a couple of eyebrows, with many viewing this as a statement decision.
Notably, the Reds had not lost three consecutive League fixtures since 2015 under Louis van Gaal, and an Ivorian masterclass ensured there would not be a repeat today.
Amad Diallo at his scintillating best
The opening exchanges resembled two sides lacking confidence and belief in their ability. Possession was distributed at a pedestrian pace, with little to nothing to inspire those in attendance.
However, considering form and the task ahead, the Portuguese tactician would have accepted a quieter opening to unsettle his opponent.
Frustratingly, a visibly distraught Mason Mount exited proceedings after 12 minutes, suffering what appears to be a recurrence of the ongoing issue that has plagued his life in the North West.
Regardless of your footballing affiliation, it’s difficult not to feel sympathetic for the former Chelsea star.
Kobbie Mainoo was introduced in his place, taking position alongside Manuel Ugarte in the midfield, with Fernandes pushing higher.
Half of the job of an away side is to demoralise their hosts and lull the audience into a sense of frustration. Well, it was very much mission accomplished for Amorim with 20 minutes played. Despite a slight deficit in possession, Andre Onana was yet to make a save.
Chris Winterburn suggested a quiet stalemate in the latest episode of the Theatre of Red podcast. It’s hard to imagine anything other than a wry smile spread across his face at this point.
Guardiola’s side are struggling with form in recent months, and they cut the image of a vulnerable outfit throughout the opening half hour. That said, a home win would have returned the reigning champions within six points of league-leading Liverpool.
The Reds were content to sit compact in their structure and attack through counterattacking opportunities. Notably, the presence of Amad Diallo was a continuous outlet, with a first shot in anger after 32 minutes.
From here, United began to grow into proceedings – almost sensing the opportunity to capitalise on a visibly indifferent opponent.
But, as is often the case in football – particularly for Manchester United – a set piece proved their undoing through a Josko Gvardiol header.
Not content with taking the lead, Kyle Walker attempted to highlight his acting skills a moment later, laughably throwing himself to the ground following a coming-together with Rasmus Hojlund.
VAR rightfully cleared the Dane of a dismissible offence, with both players booked for their efforts. After 36 minutes of a drab encounter, the Derby had finally received a welcome shot of adrenaline.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the half failed to react to proceedings, and despite four minutes of pressure during added time, United trailed by a goal at the break.
Worryingly, that was the eighth conceded through a corner kick from 16 Premier League outings – second only to Wolves on nine – and accounted for 42% of all domestic goals conceded.
As is a regular occurrence in recent matches, the sides emerged unchanged, with a visibly frustrated Amorim remaining loyal to his selection.
Sporting his familiar sideline crouch, the gaze of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos backroom team offered an undeniable presence from the stands.
The opening ten of the second half started much like the first, with misplaced passes and disgruntled faces visible on both sides of the field.
Bruno Fernandes was a notable culprit, misjudging several long-range passes with alarming discrepancy. Unsurprisingly, the captain cut a rather frustrated character.
With an hour played, the visitors began to enjoy more of the ball, with 54% of the possession and a growing intent with their movement.
Amad, a constant creative spark, supplied his side’s first clinical effort a moment later, expertly heading a precise Fernandes delivery towards the back post and forcing a fine save from Ederson.
Few games avoid a contentious talking point from VAR in 2024.
A decision to ignore an inexplicably poor Ruben Dias tackle on Hojlund in the penalty area adds fuel to a neverending wave of criticism towards the video official.
Undeterred, Bruno had a golden opportunity to level the tie after 73 minutes following an exquisite through ball from the Dane. But the Portuguese attacker lifted his effort agonisingly wide of the post, having beaten a helpless Ederson.
Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro and Antony took the field with 12 minutes to play, replacing Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and the once-more impressive Hojlund.
The visitors continued to probe for an equaliser and offered credible threats on the right flank through Diallo and another impressive cameo from Antony.
But, with minutes to play, a moment of madness from Matheus Nunes saw his mistimed back pass intercepted by Diallo before retreating to clatter the Ivorian in the area when attempting to atone for his initial error.
Fernandes calmly slotted the spot-kick home with two minutes of regulation remaining before sharing a cheeky moment with an infuriated home crowd.
A trademark of many of the great United sides of old is character and determination to fight for the win until the final whistle.
Without going over the top, Amad Diallo oozes this in abundance.
Following a sublime Lisandro Martinez pass over the top, the magnificent youngster chipped Ederson before slotting the ball past two helpless defenders to seal the win in stoppage time.
Composure, grace, belief and genuine brilliance are just some words befitting his touch and finish.
A chorus of boos greeted the final whistle as they watched their side fall to another defeat with a solitary win from 11 outings.
Crucially, Manchester United found a way to win. Ruben Amorim has sealed a miraculous moment in Derby history thanks in large to the most talented player on the field on this particular day.
Despite remaining 13th in the table, his side is now six points from the Champions League places ahead of a midweek quarter-final meeting with Spurs in the EFL Cup.
How much did you enjoy the end of the latest Manchester derby? Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
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