Amad Diallo seals Manchester United’s late derby turnaround win to stun City

Back in November, when Ruben Amorim led his former team Sporting to a win against Manchester City in the Champions League, it significantly troubled the current Premier League champions. This match marked City's third consecutive loss.

Amorim used the same strategy again to boost his new endeavor at Manchester United and to leave Pep Guardiola in a tough spot. The situation looks bleak for the City manager, as this marks the eighth loss in 11 games across all competitions, highlighting a dramatic and surprising drop in the performance of his once-dominant team.

For a long time, it seemed that City would secure an essential win with Josko Gvardiol's header in the first half. Although City had been lackluster in their performance, United struggled to make an impact in attack, appearing harmless when they reached the final third. Then, right at the last moment, United found their footing and managed to achieve a result that Amorim hopes to build upon going forward.

Amad Diallo, the standout player during Amorim's early days, was the one who changed the game. He initially earned a penalty when Manchester City's makeshift left-back, Matheus Nunes, mishandled a back-pass. Amad outsmarted Nunes with a clever feint, leading to a reckless challenge, and Bruno Fernandes calmly converted the penalty to level the score.

To United's excitement, there was additional action. Amad was quick to respond to a lengthy pass, and his initial touch was exceptional as he lifted the ball and moved it to the side of the approaching Ederson. His second touch was impressive, too—a volley taken from a sharp angle that managed to sneak past the line, with Gvardiol unable to clear it just in front.

City had emerged victorious in the last three league derbies held here, netting a total of 13 goals during those matches. However, this time, the atmosphere was filled with frustration and disbelief. The signs of insecurity were evident throughout.

The atmosphere surrounding the match felt odd, with both teams facing challenges and the storylines being quite uncommon. For instance, Guardiola spoke on Friday about the possibility of losing the team’s support. It's surprising to hear that at the end of October, especially when City hadn't lost a game in any competition. He even mentioned his eating habits; he’s now having soup for dinner because his stomach has been really unsettled.

When it comes to United, the issues are significant, particularly regarding the limited time Amorim has to implement a complete change in playing style. He fully understands the extent of the difficulty ahead.

The focus was on the 90 minutes of play and the players who were on the field, though the absence of two key players loomed large. Amorim had left out Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the team, and he suggested that this choice was partly influenced by their behavior at Carrington, which raised some concerns.

Amorim aimed for a strong setup, positioning Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot as wing-backs, with Amad playing as the right-sided No. 10 further up the field. Harry Maguire was placed in the center of a three-man defense. United noticed openings behind City's defense, which led to Manuel Ugarte sending Amad through on goal in the 26th minute, but he missed the target. Despite that, the offside flag was raised.

The City breakthrough wasn't publicized, so when it happened, it provided a significant boost for them. For United fans, the fact that it resulted from a corner was both frustrating and expected, as they've consistently struggled to defend corners well this season.

City opted for a quick play, which led to some luck as Kevin De Bruyne’s cross took a deflection off Amad, bouncing in just the right way for Gvardiol's run. Dalot didn't cover effectively, and Rasmus Højlund got drawn towards the ball, leaving Gvardiol unmarked for an easy header.

Injuries played a significant role in the situation. Guardiola was missing Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké, while John Stones was only healthy enough to sit on the bench. With Rico Lewis out due to suspension, the manager had just three defenders who were fully fit and ready to play. This raises the question: Is having just seven defenders in the squad too few? As a result, Nunes found himself playing at left-back. On the other side, United faced a setback when Mason Mount had to leave the match after just 12 minutes, marking yet another unfortunate incident for the struggling midfielder.

After Gvardiol scored, a heated exchange took place when Kyle Walker clashed heads with Højlund following a foul on the Manchester United forward. Walker fell to the ground, seemingly trying to get his rival sent off in a rather embarrassing display. Both players received yellow cards for their actions.

Phil Foden missed a chance in the 21st minute when he shot past the near post, and he nearly scored again just before halftime after some fancy footwork. However, it wasn’t exactly an exciting match.

United displayed a good flow and organization in their passing, but they needed to add more flair and decisiveness. City, on the other hand, were content to have something to defend. In the second half, they allowed United to take the initiative, and although it was unusual to see them play with such little energy, they likely believed that United wouldn't pose much of a threat.

Amad challenged Ederson with a header, and Fernandes had a great opportunity in the 74th minute when Hojlund set him up. However, his delicate shot went far wide of the far post, which seemed to end United's hopes. But Amad wasn't done yet.