What Went Right for Manchester United in the Manchester Derby

A huge result in the Premier League occurred last weekend when Manchester City arrived at Old Trafford to take on their local rivals, Manchester United. It was United’s first match under interim manager Michael Carrick in his current spell, and they delivered a brilliant 2–0 victory. In fact, United had the ball in the net five times, with three goals ruled out for tight offside calls.

City were well below their usual standards, but Manchester United’s performance will have impressed their supporters, while also leaving them wondering why displays like this were not more common under Ruben Amorim. Let’s analyse United’s performance against City, highlighting what they did well and examining some key stats from the game.

The Performance

The Michael Carrick era began magnificently, as Manchester United secured a 2–0 win over their local rivals. Carrick followed the lead previously taken by Darren Fletcher, abandoning Ruben Amorim’s three-at-the-back system in favour of a back four.

Looking at the performance as a whole, it became clear that formation was not the main talking point. United’s last two managers often focused heavily on systems, with Amorim reluctant to move away from his preferred shape and Erik ten Hag famously insisting on “sticking to the plan”. After this display, however, the discussion centred on United’s work rate, intensity, and desire rather than their tactical setup.

Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo returned to the side following the Africa Cup of Nations, while Harry Maguire made his comeback to the starting XI after injury. Kobbie Mainoo, who had been used sparingly under Amorim, also returned to the lineup, much to the delight of the Old Trafford crowd.

United started brightly against a young and inexperienced Manchester City back four that had never played together before, causing problems from the opening minutes. Although the first half ended goalless, United had already found the net twice, with efforts from Amad and Bruno Fernandes ruled out for offside. They were caught offside four times in the opening 45 minutes — their most in a first half at Old Trafford since Boxing Day 2023 (six against Aston Villa).

Despite having just 27.7% possession at the break, United were comfortably the happier side. They continued their positive approach after half-time, scoring twice through Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu. United remained defensively solid when City attempted to mount a comeback, and although Mason Mount had a stoppage-time goal ruled out due to an earlier offside involving Matheus Cunha, it did little to dampen the mood. United fans finally had reason to believe again after an impressive derby display.

The Stats

Now let’s take a closer look at some key statistics from Manchester United’s win. United finished the match with just 32% possession, but they were defensively resilient and highly effective on the counter-attack.

They worked tirelessly both on and off the ball, recording a duel success rate of 53.5% and winning 56.3% of their aerial battles. The standout statistic, however, was the distance covered. Manchester City’s players ran a total of 109.75km, while United covered 110.44km.

While this difference may seem marginal, it highlights that United collectively outworked their opponents. Small margins often decide big games, and this relentless effort ultimately tipped the balance in favour of the Red Devils. Their hard work was rewarded with a 2–0 derby victory that briefly lifted them into the top four before later results elsewhere.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Manchester United’s players and supporters have a genuine reason for optimism following this performance. By focusing on the basics — hard work, organisation, and defensive solidity — United were able to overcome Manchester City. They will hope this is not another false dawn, and they will have an immediate opportunity to prove that when they face league leaders Arsenal on Sunday.