Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville could not overlook the reaction of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the stunning win Manchester United completed under Michael Carrick.
Michael Carrick kicked off his reign as Manchester United interim head coach with an emphatic 2-0 Premier League victory in the Manchester derby clash on Saturday.
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Man Utd pushed Manchester City to the limits with their performance and Carrick’s men walked away from Old Trafford with all three Premier League points in the bag.
The Red Devils broke the deadlock in the second half of the Premier League tie after Bryan Mbeumo netted the opener following his return from AFCON 2025 duties.
Following on from Bryan Mbeumo’s superb strike, Patrick Dorgu found the back of the net 11 minutes later to put Man Utd 2-0 up against Man City on the day.
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Manchester United assistant coach Steve Holland and Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick speak during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, in 2026.
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Gary Neville on what he saw from Pep Guardiola after Man Utd’s stunning performance under Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick had returned to Manchester United earlier this week and the 44-year-old Red Devils legend faced huge pressure going into the Manchester derby.
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However, the former Middlesbrough head coach rose to the occasion and the Red Devils produced an exhilarating performance in front of United fans at Old Trafford.
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Gary Neville spotted that Pep Guardiola was left “stunned” after Man Utd extended their lead over Manchester City thanks to Patrick Dorgu.
“City can’t believe it! They are shaking their heads,” he said.
“Pep Guardiola is stunned. But they have been run ragged. United have punched and punched.”
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Gary Neville’s verdict on Man Utd interim manager Michael Carrick after the 2-0 win over Man City at Old Trafford
In the immediate aftermath of Man Utd’s sensational result on Saturday afternoon, the Red Devils climbed to fourth place in the Premier League table.
City, on the other hand, were dealt a major blow in their Premier League title challenge against league leaders Arsenal after dropping points at Old Trafford.
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Neville said during the match that former United and England teammate Carrick would be over the moon with the all-important start that he has now made.
“Michael Carrick has four months to build a foundation,” he said on Sky Sports, as per BBC Sport.
“What a first 86 minutes he has had. Calm, composed, he never gets too up and never gets too down.
“Inside, he will be jumping up and down.”
United will now travel away and the Red Devils will visit the Emirates on 25th January for their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.
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