Michael Carrick’s Manchester United beat Manchester City 2-0 on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), dealing a huge blow to their neighbours’ Premier League title hopes, as sorry Tottenham slipped to defeat against relegation-threatened West Ham.

Arsenal failed to capitalise on Man City’s loss, being held to a scoreless draw at Nottingham Forest. Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Burnley while Liam Rosenior celebrated his first league win in charge of Chelsea.

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The early result at a bouncing Old Trafford — in Carrick’s first game at the start of his second spell in temporary charge of the Red Devils — left Pep Guardiola’s City seven points behind Arsenal.

The Gunners could have extended their lead to a daunting nine points if they had beaten struggling Forest in the evening game, but were left frustrated with a 0-0 result at the City Ground.

Former United midfielder Carrick was appointed as head coach until the end of the campaign following the sacking of Ruben Amorim earlier this month.

The 44-year-old, who was also briefly United’s caretaker boss in 2021, said ahead of his first game that there was still “magic” at United and his team put on a memorable show on home turf.

Manchester United midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo (C) celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the derby.Source: AFP

Second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu capped a dominant display by United, who have had to play second fiddle to neighbours City for more than a decade.

The home side also had three goals ruled out for offside, while Gianluigi Donnarumma was inspired in City’s goal.

“Great start. No getting away from that,” said Carrick. “The boys were fantastic.”

Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu (2L) celebrates with teammates after scoring.Source: AFP

“Consistency is the key to any success,” he added. “If you could find that, then you’re onto a winner.

“That’s our challenge — we’ve got to find a way to do that. Big one next week obviously (against Arsenal), another tough one, but on the back of today, we’ve got a good foundation.”

Guardiola admitted that his team — winless in four league games this year — were outplayed by Carrick’s inspired United.

“The better team won,” said the City boss. “We weren’t at the level required to win this game.

“In many departments, we weren’t there. They were better. They had an energy we didn’t have.”

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, right, greets Matheus Cunha after the derby win over City.Source: AP

The mood at Tottenham darkened further after Spurs slipped to a 2-1 defeat against West Ham, who had not won a Premier League match since early November.

Spurs fans turned on manager Thomas Frank and chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” after Callum Wilson struck a stoppage-time winner.

Crysencio Summerville had earlier put the away side ahead in the 15th minute with a deflected strike past Guglielmo Vicario.

Spurs captain Cristian Romero headed home Pedro Porro’s cross from the right in the second half to level but substitute Wilson’s goal sparked loud boos at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs have now won just two of their league games at home this season, leaving Frank, in his first campaign in charge, under huge pressure.

“In this moment we need to stay together, work hard, come back tomorrow to the training ground,” said Romero.

“It’s a disaster in this moment for us. Thank you to the fans for always staying with us. Tomorrow we will train in silence, work hard again. (In) midweek we have another big match.”

The win lifted Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to four points behind Forest, who are just above the relegation zone.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank gestures during the loss to West Ham.Source: AP

Defending champions Liverpool are now unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions but dropped two valuable points against struggling Burnley at Anfield.

Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz scored his third league goal since his arrival but the visitors improved in the second half and drew level in the 65th minute when Marcus Edwards placed his shot beyond the reach of Alisson Becker.

“It feels like a defeat,” Wirtz said. “When we had so many shots and so many on target, I think we had to score more goals.

“But some days are like this — you try everything but in the end it doesn’t go in the goal. We only take one point but I can only say (in) the next game we go again and try to do better.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot bemoaned his side’s bluntness in attack and tendency to concede goals despite giving away few chances.

“We should have won this game,” he told the BBC. “There was not a lot I could ask more in terms of chance creation.”

Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team’s goal.Source: Getty Images

Chelsea boss Rosenior, who replaced the departed Enzo Maresca earlier this month, watched as his side saw off high-flying London rivals Brentford 2-0.

Joao Pedro gave the Blues the lead in the first half and Cole Palmer doubled the advantage from the spot in the 76th minute.

Sunderland beat Crystal Palace 2-1 while Leeds scored late to beat Fulham 1-0, remaining eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner was fuming after the game, saying his team had been “abandoned” by the club’s board after its selling spree.

They had to cope without captain Marc Guehi with the centre-back set to join Manchester City. Palace also cashed in to sell Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in August and could reportedly lose star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta to Juventus before the end of the January transfer window.

“I feel we are being abandoned completely,” Glasner told the BBC after the Sunderland defeat.

“I can’t blame any player. They did everything they could and this has been going on for weeks and months now.

“We have 12 or 13 players from the squad available and we feel no support.

“The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game. We are preparing, it’s the first (full) week we are training since September, and then we are selling our captain one day before a game. So I have no understanding of this.”

Glasner, 51, has himself been linked with taking over at Manchester United and Tottenham next season.

Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, consoles Chris Richards after losing at Sunderland.Source: Getty Images

ARSENAL’S MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Arsenal opened up a seven-point Premier League lead despite failing to break down a resilient Nottingham Forest in a 0-0 draw at the City Ground on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

The Gunners had the chance to stretch into a nine-point advantage after Manchester City lost 2-0 at local rivals Manchester United in the lunchtime kick-off.

Arsenal were made to pay for a lacklustre first half performance as Forest held out to boost their own chances of survival.

However, Mikel Arteta’s men remain in a promising position to end a 22-year wait to win the title.

Forest boss Sean Dyche had blasted his side for their first half performance in crashing out to second-tier Wrexham in the FA Cup last weekend.

Dyche received the response he craved as the home side battled hard to edge five points clear of the relegation zone.

Mikel Arteta applauds Gunners fans after the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal.Source: Getty Images

City have failed to apply any pressure to Arsenal during a four-game winless Premier League run since the turn of the year.

But back-to-back goalless draws against Liverpool and Forest has prevented Arsenal from building a big lead.

Third-placed Aston Villa could narrow the gap at the top to four points should they beat Everton on Sunday.

The visitors did not have a shot on target in the first half. It was not until Arteta flexed his strength in depth off the bench in the second period that Forest began to be stretched.

Leandro Trossard was introduced at the break with Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino and Gabriel Jesus all brought on before the hour mark.

Saka came closest to breaking the deadlock when his looping header from Declan Rice’s cross was brilliantly turned behind by goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Merino should have scored but could not turn Rice’s inviting free-kick delivery on target.

Arsenal were able to rely on their solid defence to at least edge further clear at the top thanks to an 11th clean sheet in 22 league games.

Forest survived a VAR review in the closing stages when the ball seemed to brush the arm of defender Ola Aina.

“Obviously disappointed because we want the points,” said Arteta. “We haven’t conceded a single shot, we created four big chances, and on top of that, there is a clear penalty that has not been given.

“It is true he (Aina) plays it with his shoulder, but then he brings the arm in to keep the ball inside the pitch, so it is a clear penalty.

“We could’ve been better, but as well, this is happening all around the league for every single team,” added the Spaniard.

“We have to improve and be better, especially when we create four big chances, you have to put them away.”