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Michael Carrick got off to a flying start as Manchester United head coach with a 2-0 win against Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Taking charge of his first game since his appointment this week, Carrick immediately lifted the gloom over Old Trafford with a victory that will likely live long in the memory of United fans.
The former United midfielder has only signed a deal until the end of the season and has 17 games to convince the club’s hierarchy to give him the job on a permanent basis after Ruben Amorim was fired last week. And he could not have made a better first impression with a dominant performance against all-conquering City manager Pep Guardiola in the 198th Manchester derby.
Second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealed the win that had United fans singing in full voice and drowning out their fierce cross-city rivals.
And the victory could have been even more emphatic, with United twice hitting the frame of the goal, forcing a string of saves from City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and having three goals ruled out for offside.
Not only did the win give United local bragging rights and boost the team’s chances of Champions League qualification, but it also delivered another blow to City’s title challenge.
United dominated the chances before and after halftime.
Harry Maguire headed against the bar inside three minutes and United saw two goals chalked off by VAR for offside before the break.
In the second half, Donnarumma denied Amad Diallo, Casemiro and Mbeumo before the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute.
It came from another swift United attack with Bruno Fernandes leading the breakaway after a City free kick came to nothing.
Racing into the City half, Fernandes slipped a pass into the run of Mbeumo and the Cameroon forward unleashed a first-time left-footed shot low into the far corner.
Old Trafford erupted with chants of “United!”
It was the least Carrick’s team deserved after a performance full of attacking intent.
Dorgu doubled the lead in the 76th, converting from close range after beating Rico Lewis to substitute Matheus Cunha’s cross.
Amad then hit the post as United looked to press the advantage and there was still time for another substitute, Mason Mount, to find the back of the net with his first touch in the 89th, only for it to be deemed offside.
By that point, it mattered little. The day belonged to United and Carrick, who had a beaming smile on his face as he congratulated his players after the final whistle.
Up in the stands, watching on was managerial great Alex Ferguson, whose smile was as broad as anyone’s inside Old Trafford.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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