Carrick had said a day earlier that there was magic around Old Trafford if you looked close enough, and his side certainly conjured it. Casemiro dominated the middle of the park while Rodri floundered as United pressed City to oblivion. Amad Diallo and Fernandes both put the ball in the net but were denied by the offside flag while an outstanding Gianluigi Donnarumma also did his part to keep the scores level.
But after pulling off a big save to thwart Casemiro, the City goalkeeper had no answer when Fernandes came steaming through the middle of the pitch and played in Mbeumo. The Cameroon international has been absent for a month at the Africa Cup of Nations but made a emphatic return for his club by firing United ahead.
Dorgu made sure of United's first home win over City since January 2023, capitalising on soft defending from Rico Lewis to slide in and turn in a cross from Matheus Cunha. United then thought they had scored a third goal when Mason Mount tapped in another cross from Cunha, but it was ruled out by VAR, though that did nothing to deflate the ecstatic mood around the Theatre of Dreams.
GOAL rates United's players from Old Trafford...







