Amad shines as Man Utd secure dramatic late victory over Man City

Manchester United staged a stunning comeback with two late goals to secure a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, deepening the crisis for the Premier League champions.  

City’s poor form continued, with only one win in their last 11 games, including eight defeats. Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header gave Pep Guardiola’s side the lead, but United rallied to snatch victory in the dying moments.

Bruno Fernandes equalized from the penalty spot before Amad Diallo fired home a narrow-angle winner in the final minute of regulation time, earning Ruben Amorim his second league win in five matches since taking charge last month.

The defeat leaves City fifth in the table, nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, United climbed to 12th, reducing the gap to their rivals to just five points.

Amorim’s bold decision to omit Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the squad paid off despite an early setback when Mason Mount limped off injured in the 12th minute.

The Portuguese manager will hope this victory marks a turning point in what has been a challenging start to his tenure and a rivalry largely dominated by City in recent years.

A shortage of confidence in both sides was clear to see in a cagey start.

It took 20 minutes for Phil Foden to have the first attempt on goal with a volley that flew just wide of Andre Onana’s goal.

But United’s set-piece defending has been at the root of their poor start to life under new management.

For the third consecutive Premier League game they conceded from a corner as Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross looped perfectly into the path of Gvardiol to head in on 36 minutes.

A slow burn of a derby finally came to life seconds later when Kyle Walker and Rasmus Hojlund went head-to-head with both ending up getting booked.

Foden’s double win this fixture for City last season on their way to an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.

The England international’s lack of form and fitness has been one of the causes of City’s struggles this season.

However, Foden looked more like his old self as a jinking run and shot that deflected just wide came close to doubling City’s lead before half-time.

United did not manage a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes and Amorim was growing visibly frustrated at his side’s poor play on the ball as the second period started in a similar manner.

A vintage City side under Guardiola would have put their neighbours to the sword, but English champions created nothing of note in the second period.

Diallo finally forced Ederson into action with a header that the Brazilian clawed around the post on the hour mark.

Fernandes then missed a glorious chance to equalise 15 minutes from time when his dink over Ederson drifted wide with just the Brazilian to beat.

However, City were to be the architects of their own downfall.

Matheus Nunes’ short backpass played in Diallo, who was then chopped down by the Portuguese midfielder in his desperation to atone for the original error.

Fernandes this time coolly sent Ederson the wrong way to level.

City’s defence was then undone by one simple long ball over the top by Lisandro Martinez that Diallo raced onto, rounded Ederson and kept his composure to find the net.