Manchester United pulled off a dramatic late comeback at the Etihad Stadium, with Amad Diallo’s last-minute strike sealing a stunning 2-1 victory over a struggling Manchester City side.
City had taken the lead in the first half through Josko Gvardiol, who rose to head home Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross. The hosts looked set to grind out a narrow win in a subdued Manchester derby until the game erupted in the final minutes. In the 88th minute, Matheus Nunes’ poor backpass forced him into a rash foul on Amad Diallo inside the box, gifting United a penalty. Bruno Fernandes coolly slotted home the equalizer, injecting fresh energy into the visitors.
Just moments later, Lisandro Martinez delivered a perfectly weighted ball over the top to Amad, who calmly rounded Ederson and produced a sublime finish from a tight angle, stunning the home crowd into silence. The young winger’s outstanding performance, including his decisive contribution in the final moments, marked a career-defining night.
The loss deepens Manchester City’s ongoing crisis under Pep Guardiola, with the defending champions now on their worst run of form since 2006. They have managed just one win in their last 11 games across all competitions, leaving them fifth in the Premier League, nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who also hold a game in hand.
For United, the victory was only their second Premier League win under new manager Ruben Amorim, but it was a significant one. The Portuguese coach made bold decisions, notably leaving star forwards Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad for “selection reasons.” Those choices paid off, as Amad, given a more advanced role, punished City for failing to capitalize on their early advantage.
Despite United’s heroics, it could have been a different story. City missed opportunities to put the game out of reach, with Ederson making key saves, including pushing away Amad’s flicked header, while Fernandes squandered a one-on-one chance by dinking his shot wide. However, City’s failure to build on Gvardiol’s opener came back to haunt them in a painful late collapse.
The defeat leaves City outside the top four and trailing Nottingham Forest in fourth. For United, the win could mark a turning point in what has been a challenging season under their new boss. The result will only add pressure on Guardiola as he looks to turn around a campaign that is quickly slipping out of his grasp.
