Old Trafford erupted in celebration on Saturday as Michael Carrick began his reign as Manchester United manager in the most emphatic fashion possible, masterminding a dominant 2-0 victory over fierce rivals Manchester City in the Premier League.

The 74,004 fans packed into the Theatre of Dreams witnessed a performance that harked back to United's glory days, as Carrick's tactical blueprint delivered a crushing blow to City's title aspirations while simultaneously breathing new life into the Red Devils' European qualification hopes.

From the opening whistle, United's intent was clear. Harry Maguire, one of five changes made by the new manager, nearly opened the scoring inside three minutes when his thunderous header crashed against the crossbar. It was a statement of intent that set the tone for what would become a relentless afternoon for the visitors.

The breakthrough came in the second half through Bryan Mbeumo, who finished with the clinical precision that has defined his season. The goal was vintage United counterattacking football. Rayan Cherki's ball into the box sparked a devastating three-pronged attack, with Bruno Fernandes threading a perfectly weighted pass to Mbeumo, who made no mistake in finding the net for his seventh league goal of the campaign.

Substitute Matheus Cunha then played architect for the decisive second goal, bursting down the right channel and delivering a precise cross that Patrick Dorgu met with a spectacular side-footed volley into the top corner. The Danish defender's acrobatic finish sent Old Trafford into raptures and effectively sealed City's fate.

Remarkably, the scoreline could have been far more emphatic. United had three goals ruled out for offside throughout the match, with Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes both finding the net in the first half before being denied by the officials' flag, while Mason Mount suffered the same fate after the break. The woodwork was also struck twice as United dominated proceedings.

Fernandes was imperious throughout, creating four big chances, more than any other Premier League player in 90 minutes this season. The Portuguese maestro also won five ground duels and four tackles, demonstrating the defensive commitment that Carrick has clearly instilled in his squad.

City, missing nine first-team players, could muster only one shot on target across the entire ninety minutes. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made five saves to prevent further embarrassment, but the Italian was powerless to stop the inevitable.

Pep Guardiola offered no excuses in his post-match assessment. The City manager stated simply that they deserved to win today, acknowledging that United had more energy and intention throughout the contest.

Carrick, meanwhile, struck a measured tone despite the magnitude of the victory. He described the day as special but emphasized he was not getting carried away, calling it one result while stressing the need for that level of performance to become regular.

The result moves United temporarily up to fourth place in the table, while City now face the daunting prospect of a potential nine-point deficit behind league leaders Arsenal. For Carrick, who remains unbeaten in his four matches in charge with three wins and a draw, the dream start continues.

As the final whistle blew and the Stretford End serenaded their new manager, it was impossible not to sense that something special might be brewing at Old Trafford once again.