MANCHESTER: Manch­ester United scored twice in the final three minutes to deepen Premier League champions Manchester City’s crisis with a 2-1 win at the Etihad on Sunday.

City have now won just once in their last 11 games, a run that includes eight defeats.

Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header had put Pep Guardiola’s men in front.

But United hit back for just Ruben Amorim’s second win in five league matches since taking charge last month.

Bruno Fernandes’ penalty levelled before Amad Diallo squeezed home the winner from a narrow angle in the last minute of regular time.

Defeat leaves City still in fifth, nine point off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

United climb to 12th and within five points of their city rivals.

The Red Devils will be hoping a dramatic victory can also be the starting point for Amorim to turn around the momentum of a rivalry that City have dominated over the past decade.

Amorim made a bold call before kick-off as both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were left out of the United squad with the Portuguese saying he “pays attention to everything”.

The United boss may have regretted that call as early as the 12th minute when Mason Mount limped off to continue his injury-ravaged spell since joining from Chelsea 18 months ago.

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 the 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.

Earlier on Sunday, Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr scored a brace as his side beat arch-rivals Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 at the Amex Stadium, handing the Seagulls their first home defeat in the Premier League this season.

Unbeaten in their last five league games, Palace climb

to 15th place in the table with 16 points from as many matches. They are four points clear of relegation-threatened Ipswich Town, who sit 18th.

Brighton drop to ninth with 24 points, four behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest.

“We look up, in front of us, and it was a massive chance for us to reduce the gap to the teams in front of us.

“But we don’t talk about the table, we talk about our performance. The positive thing is we can play better,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner told Sky Sports.

“It’s a very important game for us, it’s a very important game for our fans and I told the players it was the best Christmas gift we could give them because they are always behind us.”

In Saturday’s late match, Nottingham Forest moved above defending champions City into fourth place as late goals by Nikola Milenkovic and Anthony Elanga saw them hit back to beat visiting Aston Villa 2-1.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2024