MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United's latest reboot is off to a flying start.
In Michael Carrick's first game as coach, United pulled off a stunning 2-0 win against Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday and lifted the gloom hanging over Old Trafford.
“It’s a great start,” Carrick said.
Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu sealed victory in the 198th Manchester derby.
“It was a very special day but I’m not getting carried away," said Carrick, four days after his appointment. “It needs to be a regular feeling, that level of performance needs to be consistently what we’re getting."
The former United midfielder is contracted only to the end of the season and has 17 games to convince the club hierarchy to give him the job permanently after Ruben Amorim became the sixth permanent manager to be dismissed since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
He could not have made a better first impression as United dominated all-conquering City. Manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged it.
“The better team won,” Guardiola said. “When a team is better you have to accept it. They had an energy we didn’t have. Congratulations.”
League leader Arsenal could not take full advantage of defeat for second-place City, drawing 0-0 at Nottingham Forest.
United was fifth in the standings, one point behind defending champion Liverpool, which extended its winless run to four games after drawing with relegation-fighting Burnley 1-1 at Anfield.
Chelsea was sixth after beating Brentford 2-0.
Carrick lifts the gloom
Watching over Carrick's first game with a beaming smile was Ferguson. Winning had United fans singing in full voice inside Old Trafford and drowning out City's.
“The supporters were incredible. This could be a magical place,” Carrick said. “To get that feeling is exactly what we want. Hopefully it’s just the start.”
The result could have been more emphatic as United twice hit the goal frame and had three goals ruled out for offside.
United claimed city bragging rights, boosted its chances of Champions League qualification, and dealt another blow to City's title challenge. City's recent winless run was extended to four games. Arsenal's draw left City seven points behind the leader.
Mbeumo fired low into the far corner at the end of a swift United break to open the scoring in the 65th minute. It was the least Carrick’s team deserved in a performance full of attacking intent.
Dorgu doubled the lead in the 76th, converting from close range after beating Rico Lewis to substitute Matheus Cunha’s cross.
Harry Maguire and Amad Diallo saw chances fly off the woodwork and further celebrations were cut short in the 89th when VAR ruled Mason Mount's goal offside. It mattered little by that stage.
Liverpool fans not happy
Liverpool is still waiting for its first league win of 2026 after being held at home by second-to-last Burnley. The latest dropped points prompted loud jeers from the Anfield crowd.
While Florian Wirtz's impressive recent run continued with his fourth goal in six games, it wasn't enough as Marcus Edwards equalized in the second half.
Coach Arne Slot said he understood the supporters' reaction.
“In my head it wasn’t booing but in my head it was frustration as well,” he said. “We have to give credit to Burnley for defending, clearing balls off the line, all the things you want to see if you are the Burnley manager, trying everything to prevent us scoring.
“But if you, as Liverpool, are not disappointed by having a draw at home to Burnley then something is completely wrong."
West Ham also boosted it's chances of avoiding the drop after beating Tottenham 2-1. Callum Wilson got the decisive goal in added time. It ended West Ham's 10-game winless run.
Arsenal held again
Arsenal suffered consecutive goalless draws for the first time in 14 years.
Third-placed Aston Villa can close the gap to four points with a win against Everton on Sunday.
Forest became the second team after Liverpool, twice, to deny Arsenal from scoring this season.
Victory for new Chelsea boss
Liam Rosenior took charge of his first league game as Chelsea coach and watched his team beat high-flying Brentford 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, from the penalty spot, scored in each half to end Brentford's five-game unbeaten run. Chelsea also leapfrogged its London rival to sixth in the standings.
Leeds is going from strength to strength. Lukas Nmecha's goal in added time secured a 1-0 win against Fulham. The newly promoted team has lost just one of its last nine games in the league and one of 10 in all competitions.
Palace frustration
A day after manager Oliver Glasner confirmed he would leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season, he watched his team lose at Sunderland 2-1 then expressed frustration over the impending sale of captain Marc Guehi to Manchester City.
Guehi is the latest of Palace's star players to leave after forwards Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.
“I feel we are being abandoned completely,” Glasner told the BBC. “We have 12, 13 players from the squad available and we feel no support.
“The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game."
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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