Amad Diallo scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Manchester United staged a remarkable late comeback to defeat Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.
City, the four-time defending champions, led 1-0 going into the 88th minute at the Etihad Stadium, but United turned the match on its head in a thrilling finale. Bruno Fernandes equalized from the penalty spot before Diallo sealed the victory in the dying moments.
“It was a very tough match, but we believed until the end,” said United head coach Ruben Amorim. “We managed to score. We needed that win. It was important for us and for our fans.”
City fans expressed their frustration at the final whistle as their team’s poor form continued, with just one win and eight losses in their last 11 games.
“I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that,” City manager Pep Guardiola said after the match.
The victory marked Amorim’s first derby win as United’s manager. The Portuguese coach had previously led Sporting Lisbon to a 4-1 victory over City in November in one of his final games at the helm of the Portuguese club.
For much of the match, it seemed United would suffer a third consecutive league defeat. Josko Gvardiol gave City the lead with a header in the 36th minute, and Fernandes missed a golden opportunity in the second half when he fired wide while through on goal. United struggled to break down City, who rarely looked threatened but failed to extend their advantage.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Diallo pounced on a misplayed backpass from Matheus Nunes. Nunes fouled Diallo in the box, and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot. Fernandes made no mistake, sending goalkeeper Ederson the wrong way to level the score.
Minutes later, Diallo was in the right place again, latching onto a long pass from Lisandro Martinez. The Ivorian flicked the ball over Ederson and calmly finished from a tight angle to seal the win.
“It was massive for our fans,” Amorim said. “We have a lot to do, but this is a big step forward.”
With the victory, United climbed to 13th in the Premier League, five points behind fifth-place City, whose title defense has faltered amid a concerning run of form.
“This is a big club, and in a big club, when you lose eight of 10 (now 11) games, something wrong is happening,” Guardiola said.
