Manchester Derby: 'Man City' Paid for Mistakes

'Man Utd' wins dramatic derby, leaving 'Man City' puzzled after sensational ending.

'Man City' were reminded that cheating methods don't lead to success as they faced a 2-1 defeat in the Manchester Derby on Sunday, as noted by former 'Man Utd' academy player Ben Thornley. The 'Red Devils' turned the tables by coming from behind to defeat the 'Citizens', remaining 13th but closing the gap with fifth-placed 'Man City' to five points.

Josko Gvardiol scored the opening goal in the first half, and 'Man City' largely controlled the match until 'Man Utd' dramatically changed the game in the closing stages. Bruno Fernandes equalized by converting a penalty in the 88th minute before Amad Diallo – who earned the penalty – scored a late winner by running onto a long ball, lobbing the goalkeeper, and finishing into the net.

A main talking point was Kyle Walker's decision to fall to the ground after an encounter with 'Man Utd' striker Rasmus Hojlund in the first half. Neither player pushed their heads forward, and Walker's action was a desperate attempt to get the Danish international sent off.

After the game, former 'Man Utd' player Thornley – who made nine league appearances for the club – conveyed a 'cheaters never prosper' message to arch-rivals 'Man City'. Thornley stated: "It's huge. It really is huge because you didn’t want it to be larger, especially against 'United’s' neighbors. And you know what, I think back to what Kyle Walker did in the first half, 'cheaters never prosper', as far as I’m concerned."

Referring to the filming of Walker’s disappointment at the game's end, Thornley added: "So I’m glad we had a close-up of how disappointed he was to be losing that game."

Speaking post-match, 'Man Utd' coach Amorim remarked that the team 'deserved' to win due to their determination and resilience in a challenging match. Amorim said: "I think we deserved it. It was a very tough match, but we believed until the end. We managed to score, we needed that win, it was important for us and for our fans. We were in the game all 90 minutes and that is great.”

Amorim also highlighted how 'Man Utd' controlled the play and defended precisely against 'Man City's' offensive efforts. "When we equalized, you could feel the team wanted more. You sense we still have time and continue the pressure. Congratulations to the boys," he added.