Manchester derby: Law of future and Amad’s magical wand 

As the saying goes, “The future means we will always meet again.” Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola indeed met again after their Champions League encounter in Portugal last October. However, Guardiola was expected to have learned from his previous experience in dealing with a formidable opponent like Amorim. Instead, Guardiola’s team slipped up once again.

The defeat at the Etihad Stadium was a bitter pill to swallow, especially since it was a Manchester derby, a match in which Guardiola has always taken pride and boasted about his dominance. He has consistently outmanoeuvred and outcoached his United counterparts in previous derbies.

However, Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United was an unexpected turn of events. It was one of those magical moments in football that can happen in the blink of an eye—just one minute and 55 seconds, to be exact. Amorim secured his first derby win, despite his team’s inconsistent form. Sunday’s result saw a supposed “childlike” team rise to the occasion and outperform their more experienced opponents.

In doing so, Amorim has emulated the achievement of Sir Alex Ferguson, who also won his first derby match.

A derby that looks like a friendly 

Manchester City’s performance was underwhelming, with the team that was once considered invincible playing like a group of U15s. There were no spectacular moments, and at times, it seemed as though they lacked direction, with no clear plan in place at critical breakpoints.

Despite being the favourites, City struggled to assert their dominance, and Manchester United, who had been written off, successfully kept them at bay on their turf. Even when Pep Guardiola attempted to change the team’s style of play, it failed to yield results, and the players looked out of sync.

At one point, Erling Haaland was even deployed as an emergency defensive midfielder, a testament to the team’s desperation. Manchester City’s humiliation was evident in their style of play, which was unrecognisable from their usual standards.

In every aspect of their game, City fell short on Sunday. The team that was once known for its attacking prowess was now struggling to create chances, with only three shots on target and zero big chances created. This Manchester derby will go down in history as one of the worst performances under Pep Guardiola’s tenure.

Amad magical wand: It takes two to tangle 

It takes two to tangle, and on Sunday, Amad Diallo and Manchester City’s poor defense did just that. Just as it seemed Pep Guardiola was about to extend his dominance, Diallo and City’s defense became entangled in a way that would change the course of the game.

The summary of Sunday’s game will be centered around Matteus Nunes’ defensive miscalculations and Ederson’s misjudgment of a counterattack. Amad Diallo, however, was the key factor in United’s victory. Since Amorim took charge of the team, Diallo has been a vital player, proving himself to be a valuable asset.

Despite being bound for a loan move to gain more experience, Diallo was able to outshine Pep Guardiola’s team, teaching them a lesson in the process. The Ivorian winger expertly tangled with City’s defense, using his quick feet and agility to turn the game around.

First, Diallo won a penalty, which Bruno Fernandes converted by sending Ederson the wrong way. Then, just a minute later, Diallo sealed the deal, blazing past City’s defenders and slotting the ball into an empty net with the urgency of a basketball player racing against the clock. The pass from Lisandro Martinez exposed City’s defensive vulnerabilities, allowing Diallo to capitalise on the opportunity.