A thrilling Manchester derby unfolded on January 17, 2026, as Manchester United hosted their cross-town rivals, Manchester City, with a new man at the helm. Michael Carrick, the Red Devils' former player and coach, made a dream start to his interim role, guiding United to a morale-boosting 2-0 victory.
The 198th competitive meeting between these rivals saw United, who started the day in seventh, host City, sitting second in the Premier League. Carrick's appointment as head coach until the end of the season seemed to have an immediate impact, with his side producing an impressive all-round performance.
United's goals, scored by Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu in the second half, were well-deserved, as they dominated a title-chasing City side. The hosts put their recent struggles behind them, with a reinvigorated display at Old Trafford.
But here's where it gets controversial... City fans may argue that the game could have taken a different turn had Diogo Dalot been sent off for a challenge on Jérémy Doku early on. However, the referee's decision to only show a yellow card, confirmed by VAR, kept United in the game.
Carrick's delight was evident after the win, which followed an unbeaten caretaker stint after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure. United's new boss made five changes, including bringing in Harry Maguire, who almost opened the scoring with a powerful header that crashed off the crossbar.
United's intense approach unsettled City, but they nearly found themselves a man down early on. Dalot's late challenge on Doku left the City player in pain, but the referee deemed it only a yellow card offense.
As the game progressed, United looked the more threatening side, despite City's dominance in possession. Dorgu tested Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, and Amad Diallo had a goal ruled out for offside. Even Bruno Fernandes saw his goal chalked off, as United bounced back from a shaky spell.
At halftime, City made changes, but United continued to dominate. Diallo and Casemiro both had efforts saved by Donnarumma, who kept City in the game. However, United's persistence paid off in the 65th minute when Mbeumo, fresh from the Africa Cup of Nations, scored a fine strike across Donnarumma.
Maguire's headed clearance set up Mbeumo's goal, as United's skipper showed his class. Mbeumo's replacement, Matheus Cunha, also made an impact, setting up Dorgu's goal in the 76th minute. City's star striker, Erling Haaland, came on to a chorus of cheers, but it was United who had the last laugh as Mason Mount's goal was ruled out for offside in stoppage time.
So, what do you think? Was the referee's decision to only show a yellow card to Dalot the turning point? Or did United's resilience and tactical approach deserve the win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
