13 incredible stats from Man Utd’s stunning comeback victory over Man City
Manchester United produced an incredible late comeback to win 2-1 against Manchester City on Sunday evening, with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo shocking the reigning Premier League champions.
United went into the game rooted in the bottom half of the league table, but gained hope from City’s recent indifferent form and the presence of new manager Ruben Amorim.
Without the dropped Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho – the latter suspected by some on social media of leaking team news – United started the game solidly but fell behind to Josko Gvardiol’s header before half-time.
Undeterred, Amorim’s side limited the Premier League champions to few chances after the break and the penetrating runs of Amad Diallo began to worry the City backline.
Just as the game looked like petering out into a narrow City victory, Amad latched onto a errant pass from Matheus Nunes and won a clear-cut penalty. Fernandes drilled it home to level the game.
Just 115 seconds later, City goalkeeper Ederson was flummoxed by a long pass and allowed Amad to take the ball round him. His dribbling shot just evaded two City defenders on the line and sealed an improbable derby triumph for United.
We’ve collated 13 revealing stats to mark a memorable victory for United, their manager and their beleaguered supporters.
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– City named a starting XI with an average age of 28 years and 137 days old. This was their oldest in a Manchester derby since 2017 as Pep Guardiola turned to experience in an attempt to kickstart their season.
– The game started slowly; Phil Foden’s shot in the 21st minute was the first attempt in the match, the longest wait on record (since 2006-07) for a first shot in a Premier League Manchester derby.
– Only Wolves (9) have conceded more Premier League goals from corners this season than Manchester United (8). Four of those have come under Amorim.
– Lisandro Martinez was a rock at the back for United; the defender completed 98% of his attempted passes, made two important clearances and also chipped in with an interception and a block. It was his assist that created the winner.
– Bruno Fernandes has now scored 21 of his 25 penalties for Manchester United in the Premier League, now the outright most by any player for the club in the competition (overtaking Wayne Rooney – 20/28).
– As well as his match-levelling penalty, Fernandes also recorded 12 ball recoveries, which was twice as many as any other player on the pitch.
– But Amad Diallo was the Man of the Match and enjoyed a breakout performance in a United shirt. The youngster made the most passes in the final third (16), had the most touches in the opposition box (10) and completed the most take-ons (five).
– Amad also recorded the most shots (four) and the most shots on target (two) as he proved a thorn in City’s side all afternoon. His late winner was a reward for his persistent performance.
– His goal was just the seventh 90th-minute winner scored against the reigning Premier League champions, and the second netted by a Manchester United player (after Robin van Persie against Manchester City in 2012).
– And Amad has become the second-youngest player to score a 90th-minute winner against the reigning Premier League champions, after Neil Mellor versus Arsenal in 2004.
– United were winners on the infamous xG scoreline too, with their total of 2.18 beating City’s meagre 0.99.
– City were leading until the 88th minute – the latest into a game that a reigning champion has led in the Premier League and lost.
– Amorim becomes just the second Manchester United boss to win their first Premier League Manchester derby after Sir Alex Ferguson.