When Ruben Amorim oversaw his previous victory over Manchester City – with his old club Sporting in the Champions League – it was to push the reigning Premier League champions towards crisis. That was in early November and it was City’s third defeat on the spin.
As Amorim repeated the trick here, it was to pep up his new project at Manchester United and leave Pep Guardiola on his knees. There seems no way out of the misery for the City manager, this an eighth defeat in 11 matches in all competitions, the decline of his all-conquering team stark and extraordinary.
For so long, it had looked as though City would close out a much-needed victory thanks to Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header. They had played meekly but United had no cutting edge. They were powder-puff in the final third. And then, at the very end, they were not and they could embrace a result which Amorim will try to use as a catalyst.
It was Amad Diallo, the stand-out performer of Amorim’s fledging tenure, who made the difference. First, he won a penalty after City’s emergency left-back, Matheus Nunes, left a back-pass woefully short. Amad tricked Nunes into a rash tackle with a cute stop-and-go move and Bruno Fernandes buried the equaliser from the penalty spot.
To United’s delight, there was more. Amad was alert to run onto a long pass and his first touch was a beauty, taking it up and to the side of the advancing Ederson. The second was not bad, either, a volley from a tight angle that squeezed over the line, Gvardiol unable to clear from just in front of it.
City had won the previous three derbies in the league here – and scored 13 goals in them. There was only anguish and continued disbelief on this occasion. The insecurities are everywhere.
There was a strange vibe around the game, both teams struggling, the plot-lines unusual. Take Guardiola’s opening up on Friday about the notion of losing the dressing-room. Imagine hearing that towards the end of October when City were unbeaten in all competitions. There was even the detail about Guardiola’s diet. He is sticking to soup in the evenings because his stomach is churning so much.
As for United, the problems run deep, majoring on how little time Amorim has on the training ground to drive a comprehensive style overhaul. He is acutely aware of the scale of the challenge.
It was only about these 90 minutes and the players present, even if two absentees cast shadows. Amorim had excluded Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from his squad, a decision he indicated was based in part on what he has seen from them around Carrington, which sounded ominous.
Amorim’s idea was to be solid; hence Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot as the wing-backs, Amad further forward as the right-sided No 10. Harry Maguire came into the heart of the back three. United could sense there were spaces in behind City’s defensive line and Manuel Ugarte got Amad clean though in the 26th minute only for him to drag wide. The offside flag did go up.
The City breakthrough had not been advertised and when it came, it was a huge tonic for them. From a United point of view, that it came from a corner was both sickening and no surprise. They have routinely failed to defend them properly this season.
City played it short and there was fortune when Kevin De Bruyne’s cross deflected off Amad to loop up perfectly for the run of Gvardiol. Dalot did not do enough and Rasmus Højlund got sucked towards the ball. Gvardiol was free for the header.
Injuries were a part of the story. Guardiola was without Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké while John Stones was fit enough only to return to the bench. With Rico Lewis suspended, the manager had only three fully fit and available defenders; perhaps seven in the squad is not enough? It was why Nunes ended up at left-back. United, meanwhile, would lose Mason Mount after 12 minutes – a bitter blow for the luckless midfielder.
There was controversy after Gvardiol’s goal, Kyle Walker going forehead-to-forehead with Højlund after he had fouled the United striker. Walker would wilt to ground, a shameful attempt by the 93-cap England international to get his opponent sent off. Both were booked.
Phil Foden had dragged a shot wide of the near post in the 21st minute and the City midfielder went close again in first-half stoppage-time after a twinkle-toed burst but it was hardly a thriller.
United had rhythm and structure to their passing moves but they had to show more personality and incision. City were just happy to have something to hold. They invited United on in the second half and if it was weird to see them play with so little oomph, perhaps they reasoned that United would not be able to hurt them.
Amad would work Ederson with a header and Fernandes had a massive chance on 74 minutes after he was released by Hojlund. When his dinked finish drifted well wide of the far post, that looked to be that for United. Amad had other ideas.
