Manchester United’s striker Marcus Rashford scored the winning goal at the Manchester derby to spark a potential Premier League title charge.
The Red devils ran out 2-1 winners at old Trafford after city’s substitute Jack Grealish gave Man City the lead in the second half.
City looked to be closing the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal after substitute Jack Grealish headed them in front from Kevin de Bruyne’s cross on the hour, only for United to send their fans into raptures with a superb recovery.
Ten Hag’s men fully focused, found their winning spirit to equalize through Bruno Fernandes, before Rashford finished off the game through an assist from substitute Gernacho.
The United star has now scored 8 consecutive goals at Old Trafford.
The win now means Manchester United are just a point off rivals Manchester city and 6 points behind leaders, Arsenal.
United left Etihad Stadium in early October chastened and bruised following a 6-3 thrashing, a scoreline that actually flattered them – but Ten Hag insisted lessons had been learned.
And so they have. This win means United have lost only one of their past 19 games in all competitions and are now on City’s heels in third place in the table, barely credible after that derby beating and a dreadful start to the season that saw them lose at home to Brighton before being overwhelmed at Brentford.
The debate over Fernandes’ equaliser will go on, but what is inescapable is the significant improvement under the disciplinarian and tactically astute Ten Hag to the point where United are looking solid in the top four and may even be casting a glance at leaders Arsenal, who are six points ahead of them.
The sight of the diminutive Luke Shaw winning a series of headers in among Erling Haaland and others in stoppage time and Raphael Varane fist-pumping and whipping up the fans at the final whistle was a sign of the renewed belief and confidence surging through United.
The reborn Rashford was not deterred by missing two first-half chances to pounce and turn Garnacho’s cross past exposed City keeper Ederson for the winner.
United’s recovery has been slow but assured under Ten Hag and the scenes at the final whistle demonstrated that a giant that had lost its way is slowing finding itself again.
Referee Stuart Attwell consulted his assistant and the goal was given, much to City’s anger as their players confronted the official at the final whistle.
City, trying to recover from Wednesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final loss at Southampton, were not their usual fluent selves but their unhappiness at the result will be even more acute because of their discontent at the decision that went against them.
