A shadow of themselves, Man City have reached an unthinkable position
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Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: There now seems to be no such thing as a guarantee for Pep Guardiola, not even when leading a weakened rival, at home, with minutes to go in the derby. If it were a contest to find the most troubled club inside the M60, Manchester City were the derby winners. In every other respect, it was another disastrous day for them. In snatching defeat from the jaws from victory, they gave Ruben Amorim’s derby debut an unexpectedly happy ending. On a day when Amorim made a statement selection by omitting Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, the speedy winger he did select, Amad Diallo, etched his name into this fixture’s folklore, displaying the pace Pep Guardiola’s creaking team lack, first winning a penalty, then scoring a dramatic decider. “We have Fergie time and something magic happened,” said Amorim.
![[Amad Diallo turned the derby and sparked wild scenes in the away end]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/15/18/GettyImages-2190098398-1.jpg)
But for City, it was another capitulation, another collapse. After Feyenoord’s three goals in 15 minutes at the Etihad Stadium came United’s two in three. “Three-nil up against Feyenoord, we have to win that game,” said Guardiola. “Today, we have to win that game.” They did not. A team who lost a lead to Amorim’s Sporting last month repeated the feat against his Manchester United: but at home, but later, but when their plight is greater.
![[There was late drama as Diallo rounded Ederson to score a stunning winner]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/15/18/GettyImages-2190098378.jpg)
It was an eighth defeat in 11 games for a manager who has been a byword for winning. Guardiola finished with the now familiar chorus of “sacked in the morning” ringing in his ears. His melodramatic reaction when Matheus Nunes conceded the spot kick that Bruno Fernandes was to convert showed his fears about the fragility of this side. They duly lost. Again.
![[City remain nine points off the top of the table]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/15/18/GettyImages-2190100100.jpg)
