Man Utd's derby win over Man City masterminded by Michael Carrick reminds Gary Neville of club's DNA
Michael Carrick delivered an emphatic 2-0 victory over Man City in his first game as Man Utd head coach with Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu on the scoresheet; Gary Neville felt Bruno Fernandes was 'Cantona-esque' back playing as the No 10 after Ruben Amorim stuck with him in midfield
Saturday 17 January 2026 18:17, UK
Gary Neville believes Michael Carrick's derby win at Old Trafford showed the Manchester United way can work in modern football.
"That is one of the best performances you'll see in any era by a Manchester United team," the Sky Sports pundit said on the Gary Neville Podcast after the 2-0 win over Man City.
With only three days of preparation, United's new head coach successfully brought back 4-4-2 and delivered a statement performance that reminded Neville of the club he used to play for.
"We've been conditioned to believe you cannot play like Manchester United play," Neville added.
"That's what I've been told for the last three, four, five years, 'move on, you can't play that way anymore'.
"I'm sorry, you can play that way in modern football, you've just watched 90 minutes of it, 90 minutes of exactly what I think this club plays like when it's actually at its very best."
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Neville added: "It's not a time to say that Manchester United will sustain this and carry up the league, this has got to be a bridge towards potentially getting a European place, top five would be amazing.
"But this is not the return of Manchester United, it's the return of at least something that looks like the club. It's been a pale imitation this last many years really. It's been awful. Some of the performances here, you have to see a good one to remind you about how bad it has been."
'Fernandes was Cantona-esque'
Bryan Mbeumo's opener came from a devastating counter-attack and wonderful combination play with captain Bruno Fernandes, no longer restricted to playing as a holding midfielder.
"I got quite emotional when that goal went in, because I thought, 'that's what I have been asking for, it's what everyone in this ground's been asking for'.
"Those players have set themselves a standard today, I have to say, they've set themselves a standard in attitude, in aggression, in positivity when they're playing with intent and playing through the lines, everything. You cannot drop below that."
Neville felt Fernandes was Eric "Cantona-esque" back playing in the No 10 role after Ruben Amorim had so stubbornly stuck with him as a deep midfielder.
"That's where he's got to play, be near to goal, be where you can hurt them, because he's a great player. We don't want to see him back in a midfield two in front of a back three.
"Is that where we want to see him? No, it's definitely not right. I just saw so many things that reminded me of what this club plays like, what their DNA is, what they should be."
He added: "I've always said Manchester United's system is such, you have a forward and then you have a No 10, it can be [Dwight] Yorke, it can be Cantona, it can be [Wayne] Rooney, it can be [Carlos] Tevez, it can be [Dimitar] Berbatov. Those players that just drop in off a striker, Scholes did it for a number of years.
"We've always had that most talented player close to our striker and feeding them, and that's what made me a little bit emotional on that goal."
'Carrick can lay foundation for next head coach'
Before the game, Neville said Carrick's spell in charge should be limited to the rest of the season as he called on INEOS to bring in an experienced head coach.
Despite his delight over the manner of the win, Neville said Carrick's aim should be handing over the team in the best shape possible for the next coach.
"It is not a time to get giddy or carried away," said Neville.
"Michael Carrick has laid a foundation today for the next four months, and if he can continue to lay that foundation here with that level of performance for the next four months, the person who picks up the baton at the end of the season can be in a good place.
"Ralf Rangnick came, it didn't quite happen in terms of that handover. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in and then got given the job. Michael Carrick's got to hand that baton over in good shape, and that is an unbelievable start for him."
