Manchester United staged a stunning comeback at the Etihad Stadium as Amad Diallo’s last-minute goal clinched a 2-1 win over crisis-hit Manchester City.
Ruben Amorim’s side were trailing to Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header until the 88th minute, when a tepid derby exploded into life as Matheus Nunes fouled Amad, following a poor backpass, to concede a penalty which was converted by Bruno Fernandes.
Moments later, the excellent Amad was put through on goal from Lisandro Martinez’s ball over the top, touching it around Ederson before steering a superb finish into the net from an acute angle to leave the home supporters in stunned silence.
The result deepens the crisis facing Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, whose side have only won one of their last 11 games in all competitions, continuing the club’s worst run of form since 2006.
Bruno Fernandes celebrates after equalising from the penalty spot
For Manchester United, the victory, only their second in the Premier League under Amorim, came after two huge calls by the new boss, who left forwards Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of his squad, citing selection reasons.
Their absences saw Amad pushed into a more advanced role and he duly punished the out-of-sorts hosts for failing to add to Gvardiol’s opener, which was headed home from Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross from one of few chances in the first half.
It appeared Guardiola’s side were going to stumble over the line to victory when Fernandes dinked a one-on-one chance wide after Amad had seen a flicked header pushed around the post by Ederson in the second period, but City’s latest implosion allowed United to celebrate a remarkable victory.
Champions Manchester City are left in fifth place, behind Nottingham Forest in fourth, and nine points off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Watch: The all-important goals
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Josko Gvardiol headed Man City in front
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Bruno Fernandes levelled from the penalty spot
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Amad Diallo struck the winner in the 90th minute
Amorim on ‘massive’ win: We deserved it
Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim told Sky Sports: “We have a lot to do but it was massive for our fans.
“Our conversation would be so different without the two goals but the performance would be the same.
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Ruben Amorim was delighted by his side’s performance and the result
“I think the players did a very good job. They were in the game for 90 minutes and that is really important. I think we deserved this win. It was a good day for us.
“You could feel we were near to scoring. We improved our speed when we made more runs. We controlled [Erling] Haaland and the other guys in City’s offense very well.
“When we scored the first one, you could feel it. They wanted it more. Congratulations to the players. We needed it a lot.”
Fernandes lauds ‘unstoppable’ Amad
Bruno Fernandes hailed Manchester United match-winner Amad Diallo, telling Sky Sports: “He has been doing great things and there’s a lot more to come.
“He’s always active, always alive and this is why he gets the penalty and his goal. He’s been brilliant but I shouldn’t say much as we need to keep him going as we need him at this level.
“Like this, he is unstoppable.
“I’m pretty sure he can do this every week. We expect it. He knows the expectation when playing for Manchester United. He’s getting his chance deservedly. When you do the right things at the right moments the rewards are here.”
Silva: ‘Stupid’ Man City played like under-15s
Bernardo Silva did not hold back on Manchester City’s collapse, telling Sky Sports: “We totally deserved what happened.
“At this level, if it’s a game or two, you can say that they are being lucky. If it’s 10 games, it’s not about that.
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Bernardo Silva slammed his side’s ‘stupid’ decisions in the defeat
“If in the 87th minute of a derby, you are winning 1-0 with a corner for your team and the ball ends up with your ‘keeper and a penalty for them, my friend…
“If you make these kinds of stupid decisions with three or four minutes to go, you deserve to pay for that.
“If you look at the game, there was only one team that could win. But in the end, we lost, and it’s not one game, it’s a lot of games lately.
“We have to look at ourselves. It’s not about luck. It’s the decisions you make. Today, in the last minutes we played like under-15s and we paid the price.”
Man City’s collapse in stats
- Manchester City were leading until the 88th minute of this match, but ended up losing 2-1 – the latest into a game that a reigning champion has led in a Premier League fixture and lost.
- The team leading at half-time of both Manchester derbies in the Premier League in 2024 has gone on to lose (3-1 to Man City in March and 2-1 to Man Utd in December). This is as many times as the team behind at half-time had gone on to win in all meetings between the two sides in the competition previously (two).
- Amad Diallo’s goal was just the seventh 90th-minute winner scored against the reigning Premier League champions, and the second netted by a Manchester United player (after Robin van Persie against Manchester City in December 2012).
- Manchester City have only lost four of the 105 Premier League home games in which they’ve been ahead at half-time under Pep Guardiola (W94 D7), with half of those defeats coming against Manchester United – 3-2 in April 2018 and 2-1 in this game.
