Forget Bruno & Mbeumo – ‘Phenomenal’ Man Utd duo will be key for Carrick-led revival

Manchester United earned a famous win over Manchester City on Saturday, but the roles of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez must not be overlooked.The Red Devils were the better side in the first half, but they couldn’t put the ball in the net, at least not without falling into the offside trap.Nevertheless, Michael Carrick got his well-deserved debut victory thanks to superb second-half display. Bruno Fernandes set up Bryan Mbeumo for the opener, while Patrick Dorgu latched onto Matheus Cunha’s square ball to secure the result with a second goal.Harry Maguire was outstanding against Man City(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)As is often the case, the attacking players often receive the flowers, but this complete Man Utd performance wouldn’t have been possible without the heroics of their two centre-backs.Maguire was one of the surprises in Carrick’s starting lineup, as Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven were supposedly ahead of him in the pecking order, especially following his injury ordeal.But as Samuel Luckhurst noted during the game, the 32-year-old was ‘phonemenal’ against Man City, despite wasting a golden chance to score early on. Still 20 minutes to go but Maguire has been phenomenal so far. #mufc — Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 17, 2026The Sheffield native looked solid and composed, as he comfortably dealt with all comers. It will be difficult for the two youngsters to return ot the starting lineup if the experienced Englishman continues to produce such commanding displays.Lisandro Martinez kept Erling Haaland in his pocketSimilar to Maguire, Lisandro produced on a clinic at the back. The Argentine even put Bruno through on goal with a sensational long ball, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside.Despite the significant size disadvantage, Martinez proved to be an absolute thorn in Erling Haaland’s side, thwarting him at every corner.According Statman Dave, the Argentine won 100% of aerial and ground duels on Saturday, confirming his splendid form since returning from injury. Lisandro Martinez vs. Manchester City: — 100% aerial duels won — 100% ground duels won Nobody was picking him up today. 😉 pic.twitter.com/N91P3JEfJ0 — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 17, 2026All in all, almost every Man Utd player produced the goods in what was a Derby to remember, but it remains to be seen if today’s performance was a mere reaction for the recent managerial change, or the genuine dawn of a more promising era.