Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: Late Amad Diallo magic inspires dramatic United victory in Manchester derby - Eurosport
Amad Diallo scored a last-minute goal to help Manchester United clinch a thrilling 2-1 win over their neighbors Manchester City, adding to Pep Guardiola's team's ongoing struggles.
Josko Gvardiol scored the first goal in the 36th minute, taking advantage of the visitors' ongoing difficulties in defending set pieces, particularly after a short corner.
It was the highlight of a bleak first half, where both sides displayed nervousness and struggled with their performance.
United created more opportunities during a somewhat dull second half, but they couldn't find the net until Diallo earned a penalty just four minutes before the end, enabling Bruno Fernandes to equalize from the penalty spot.
The Red Devils thrilled their traveling supporters as Diallo intercepted a long pass, evaded Ederson, and scored into an open net just before the final whistle.
As a result, Manchester City is currently in fifth place, trailing the league leaders Liverpool by nine points and having played one extra match. They have only managed to secure one victory in their last 11 games across all competitions. Meanwhile, Manchester United has moved up to 12th place after achieving their second league win under their new manager, Ruben Amorim.
Coming up, United will play against Tottenham in the League Cup quarter-finals on Thursday, followed by a match against Bournemouth in the league on Sunday. Meanwhile, City will face Aston Villa on Saturday.
Amorim Soars: What's Next For Guardiola And City?
For extended periods, the match was of low quality, and Manchester United's vulnerability during set pieces seemed likely to determine which side of the city would claim bragging rights.
Enter Amad Diallo. The young player was a key threat for United the whole match, capitalizing on a mistake from Matheus Nunes to earn a penalty for Fernandes to equalize. He then followed that up by scoring an impressive solo goal.
An unexpected surprise from United struck twice, turning an otherwise forgettable derby into a moment that will be remembered in the red side of Manchester for a long time.
This could be a turning point for Amorim as well, as the Portuguese coach likely feels validated in his bold choice to leave both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the lineup before the game started.
For Manchester City, things seem to be spiraling out of control for Guardiola. This latest defeat marks their eighth loss in just 11 games, likely crushing any chances they had of keeping their title. The champions appear to be lacking confidence and even suffered a loss in a match where they had struggled to secure a win against a United team that had shown little threat.
The tension is increasing for the Citizens and their manager, as it seems increasingly probable that they will have to invest significantly in January to turn their season around.
Match MVP: Player Of The Game
Amad Diallo (Manchester United) had a significant impact on the derby despite not being a constant danger throughout the match. He played a crucial role in winning the penalty that led to the equalizing goal and later showcased his composure by securing the victory and bragging rights for his team. This performance is reminiscent of his dramatic late goal against Liverpool in last season’s FA Cup, proving he thrives in high-pressure situations against the club’s fiercest opponents.
MAN CITY: Ederson - 6, Walker - 6, Dias - 6, Gvardiol - 7, Nunes - 5, Silva - 5, Foden - 5, Gundogan - 5, De Bruyne - 5, Doku - 6, Haaland - 5. Substitutes: Kovacic - 5, Grealish - 5, Savinho - n/a.
MAN UTD: Onana received a score of 6, while Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Martinez, and Dalot all scored 7. Ugarte was rated 6, Fernandes got a 7, but Mount only managed a 4. Diallo stood out with a score of 8*, and Hojlund also received a 6. Substitutes included Mainoo, who scored 7, Zirkzee and Yoro both with 5, and Antony with a 6. Lindelof's score is not available.
36' - GOAL! – Man City 1-0 Man United: (Gvardiol). Gvardiol finds the back of the net, scoring the first goal of the match. The defender scores with a powerful header from a deflected cross by De Bruyne on the left side, taking advantage of United's inability to clear a short corner.
62’ – OPPORTUNITY FOR MAN UTD! Amad redirects Fernandes' dangerous cross towards the far post, but Ederson makes a clever save to tip his header away.
73’ – CHANCE FOR MAN UTD! What a letdown. Fernandes races onto a well-placed pass after some slick combination play, but somehow manages to send his shot over Ederson and far past the far post.
88' - GOAL! – Man City 1-1 Man United: (Fernandes). Fernandes coolly places the penalty into the net, outsmarting Ederson. The spot kick was given after Nunes committed a foul on Amad Diallo while attempting to rectify a poor pass that had allowed the United player a clear chance.
90' - GOAL! - MAN CITY 1-2 MAN UTD: (Amad). What an incredible comeback! Amad bursts forward once more, deftly lifts the ball over Ederson, and manages to volley it from a challenging angle on the left side of the box into the goal.
