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Manchester United took charge of the Manchester derby at Old Trafford from the outset and did exactly what Michael Carrick and his coaching staff wanted as they blew City away.
As auditions go, Michael Carrick produced the perfect performance. Whether the leading role becomes his on a permanent basis in the summer remains to be seen. However, while Rome wasn't built in a day, leaving Manchester City's title hopes in ruins is not a bad way for Carrick to begin laying new foundations for the crumbling giants on the red side of Manchester.
United were given a script to stick to by Carrick and his coaching staff, and promptly didn't fluff a single line, smashing City to smithereens. It has taken Carrick just one game to get the best performance of the season from a team which has often looked incapable of beating an egg. In one fell swoop, the interim manager has turned United into a side resembling one Sir Alex Ferguson used to produce. It left the great Pep Guardiola and his men humbled and humiliated.
Rarely has there been an afternoon of more contrasting emotions for two managers. Here was one having the fairytale start, while leaving his rival trapped in a living nightmare. It's safe to say Guardiola will not be celebrating his 55th birthday on Sunday.
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United won't win the title this year, obviously. But Carrick and his side will take huge consolation from knowing that if City don't either, this might be the result that left their hopes of doing so in tatters. No wonder Carrick made a point of reminding people that there is still "magic" in the Theatre of Dreams.
When he took charge as caretaker manager first time around, Carrick took on Thomas Tuchel, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta, and remained unbeaten. Now he has put arguably the greatest manager of all time to the sword.
The visitors were run ragged from start to finish. City had no answer to the energy, pace, enthusiasm and attitude of United. Second half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu did the damage, but the scoreline flattered Guardiola's side.
United also had three goals ruled out, Amad hit the post, while Gianluigi Donnarumma's brilliance in the City goal helped limit the embarrassment.
City are still without a league win in 2026. And the psychological damage this result could do to City might well leave them bereft of confidence.
It took just two minutes for United to set the tone when Harry Maguire met Bruno Fernandes's corner at the back post, but headed onto the crossbar from point-blank range.
United should have gone ahead when a rare but glaring blunder from Rodri allowed Fernandes to pick out Mbeumo, but he allowed Abdukodir Khusanov to get back and dispossessed him at the crucial time. Amad and Fernandes had goals ruled out for offside as the home dominance continued.
Guardiola had seen enough and made a double change at half time. He threw on Nico O'Reilly to strengthen his defence, and Rayan Cherki to add some spark to the attack. But O'Reilly was booked within three minutes for pulling back Amad, while Diogo Dalot zipped a ball across the face of Donnarumma's goal which no-one in red could finish off.
It took a superb double save from Donnarumma to deny Amad and then Casemiro in quick succession. And Donnarumma was at his brilliant best again to keep out an effort from the stretching Mbeumo. But there was nothing he could do to stop Mbeumo from finishing off a lightning break from deep from United to get the lead they deserved.
Carrick is not known for outward shows of emotion, but he couldn't contain himself. He jumped up and down, clenched his fists and celebrated with his staff. And when Dorgu converted a cross from substitute Matheus Cunha to double United's lead, City were dead and buried.
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