Manchester United secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over neighbours Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s first game back in the Red Devils’ dugout.
The host could’ve taken an early lead inside the opening three minutes after Bruno Fernandes sent in an inswinger cross from a corner, but Harry Maguire struck the crossbar with a header at the back post.
At the other end, Antoine Semenyo sent in a delightful cross into the area which picked out Bernardo Silva, but the Portuguese floated his header over the bar.
The Red Devils continued to search for an opener, and they almost got it in the 21st minute after Fernandes picked out Patrick Dorgu with a long searching ball, but the defender’s effort was parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma before Abdukodir Khusanov made a crucial block to deny Bryan Mbeumo, who was through on goal.
Amad Diallo thought he had given United the lead in the 33rd minute when he rounded Donnarumma and slotted the ball home, but the Ivorian was denied by the offside flag.
Just past the half-hour mark, Max Alleyne saw his goal-bound header from a corner cleared off the line by Diogo Dalot.
Minutes later, Semenyo had his sights on goal, but his effort at the edge of the area curled wide beyond Senne Lammens.
On the stroke of halftime, Fernandes thought he had finally broken the deadlock after Lisandro Martinez found him with a delightful ball over the top, with the United skipper finishing past Donnarumma, but after a VAR review, his effort was chalked off for offside.
Moments after the restart, Erling Haaland, who had a quiet first half, had two shots in quick succession, but he saw his efforts fended off by Martinez.
Just before the hour mark, Donnarumma was forced into two brilliant saves in quick succession, denying both Amad and Casemiro from close range.
Minutes later, the Italian shot-stopper was called into action again as he denied Mbeumo on the volley, keeping City in the game.
However, Mbeumo gave United the deserved lead in the 65th minute, when Fernandes found the Cameroonian on the break and he calmly finished past Donnarumma.
Amad could’ve doubled the Red Devils’ advantage minutes later, but he curled his effort wide of the far post.
In the 76th minute, Dorgu doubled the host’s lead after Matheus Cunha drilled in a low cross from the right, and the defender was there to tap home United’s second.
On the stroke of halftime, Amad could’ve increased the deficit after Fernandes found him on the break, but the winger’s effort struck the post.
Deep into stoppage time, United thought they had finally gotten their third goal through Mason Mount after he teed up with Cunha, but after a VAR review, the Red Devils saw their third goal of the day chalked off for offside.
Manchester United have moved up to fourth on the Premier League standings, and Manchester City could go nine points behind league leaders Arsenal with a win at Nottingham Forest.