Man United secures stunning late 2-1 comeback win against Man City

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Amad Diallo struck a 90th-minute winner as Manchester United staged a stunning late comeback to beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

Four-time defending champion City led the Manchester derby 1-0 going into the 88th minute at the Etihad Stadium. But the game was turned round in dramatic fashion as Bruno Fernandes leveled from the penalty spot and Diallo sealed victory for United — prompting head coach Ruben Amorim to declare “something magic happened.”

“It was a very tough match but we believe until the end. We managed to score. We needed that win. It was important for us and for our fans,” Amorim said.

City fans jeered at the final whistle as their once dominant team’s woeful run of form extended to one win and eight losses in 11 games.

“I’m the boss, I’m the manager and I’m not good enough. It’s as simple as that,” Guardiola said.

It was a first derby victory for new United head coach Ruben Amorim, who led Sporting Lisbon to a 4-1 win against City in one of his last games in charge of the Portuguese club in November.

But for a long time it looked like being a third-straight league loss for United after Josko Gvardiol’s headed goal in the 36th.

Fernandes was guilty of missing the target when through on goal in the second half and United struggled to create chances against a City team that rarely looked like adding to its lead.

But in a dramatic end to the match, Diallo raced after an underhit backpass from Matheus Nunes. Nunes then brought down the United forward in the box and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the penalty spot.

Fernandes made no mistake this time — sending Ederson the wrong way.

Moments later, Diallo ran onto a long pass from Lisandro Martinez, flicked the ball high and past Ederson before rolling it into the net from a tight angle.

“We have a lot to do but it was massive for our fans,” Amorim said.

United is 13th and five points behind fifth-place City, which has seen its title defense unravel during its losing run.

“This is a big club and in a big club when you lose eight in 10 (11) something wrong is happening,” Guardiola said.

Chelsea, in second, closed the gap on Liverpool to two points after a 2-1 win against Brentford.

It’s now seven straight wins in all competitions for Enzo Maresca’s team, which is unbeaten in 10. It’s last league defeat was in October — a 2-1 loss to Liverpool.

Marc Cucurella scored in the 43rd and Nicolas Jackson made it 2-0 in the 80th for his ninth goal of the season.

Bryan Mbeumo scored for Brentford in the 90th and Cucurella was sent off for a second yellow card in added time.

Chelsea is four points ahead of third-place Arsenal.

Southampton fired manager Russell Martin after being routed 5-0 by Tottenham.

Last-place Southampton is nine points from safety and appears to be heading straight back to the second tier after earning promotion to the top flight last season.

The decision came on the same day as another relegation-threatened team, Wolverhampton, fired head coach Gary O’Neil. Wolverhampton is second to last in 19th.

Spurs scored all five goals against Southampton before halftime at St Mary's Stadium, with James Maddison getting two. Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Sarr also scored.

Tottenham moved up to 10th and is five points off the Champions League places.

Ismaila Sarr scored twice as Crystal Palace beat Brighton 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

The forward also provided an assist for Trevoh Chalobah in the win at the Amex Stadium, which lifted Palace four points clear of the relegation zone.

Brighton is ninth and without a win in four matches.

Palace went ahead in the 27th minute through Chalobah, and Sarr doubled the lead for the visitors in the 33rd.

Sarr scored his second in the 82nd before Marc Guehi’s own-goal pulled one back for Brighton. It was Guehi’s second own-goal in his last four games.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-Min celebrates scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, England, Sunday Dec. 15, 2024. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, England, Sunday Dec. 15, 2024. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer, left, vies for the ball with Brentford's Yehor Yarmolyuk during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brentford at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, second left, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Brentford at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Manchester United's Diogo Dalot reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Amad Diallo celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Phil Foden kicks the ball ahead of Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Phil Foden kicks the ball ahead of Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, left, talks with Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak ahead the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol, centre, scores his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Ruben Dias, left, challenges for the ball with Manchester United's Rasmus Hojlund during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr celebrates scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, at the American Express Stadium, in Brighton and Hove, England, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

PARIS (AP) — Unbeaten Paris Saint-Germain moved seven points clear at the top of the French league with a 3-1 win against Lyon on Sunday that was marred and briefly interrupted by homophobic chanting.

PSG got off to a great start at the Parc des Princes and led 2-0 after 14 minutes thanks to goals from Ousmane Dembélé, and Vitinha from the penalty spot.

The visitors gradually got into the game and played with more verve as Georges Mikautadze pulled one back for Lyon before the interval. PSG was in control in the second half and Gonzalo Ramos sealed the win in the 88th with an agile finish from close range.

Second-place Marseille and Monaco, which were held to draws on Saturday, are tied on points behind PSG. Lyon remained in fifth place, 12 points off the pace.

Referee Benoît Bastien stopped play in the 53rd minute at the Parc des Princes with host PSG leading 2-1 after the chants were heard. PSG captain Achraf Hakimi approached fans standing in the Auteuil stand behind one of the goals to ask them to stop. A message reminding fans that discriminatory chants are forbidden was then displayed on the stadium’s giant screens.

Play eventually resumed after a few minutes.

Following its 1-0 win against PSV on Tuesday, the surprise package of the Champions League followed up with a 4-1 defeat of Nantes in the French league on Sunday.

Substitute Abdallah Sima scored a brace after Kamory Doumbia and Brendan Chardonnet gave Brest a 2-0 halftime lead. Douglas Augusto was on the score sheet for Nantes.

Last season, Brest secured the final automatic berth for French clubs in the Champions League with a third-place finish. The club’s results on the domestic scene have not been as good this season and Brest had lost four of its five previous league matches.

The attack-minded Brittany side remains in 11th place, one point behind Reims. Nantes is 14th.

Nice twice failed to hold on to its lead in a 2-2 draw at struggling Montpellier.

Three days after conceding a late goal in a 2-1 loss against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League, Nice missed the chance to cut the gap with its rivals in the race for European spots.

Nice remained in sixth place, six points behind Marseille and Monaco.

Last-place Montpellier will have regrets, too, after missing several chances in the last 10 minutes. It was a lively contest at the Stade de La Mosson, with the teams mustering a combined total of 38 scoring attempts.

Back to action after a months-long absence and several injuries, defender Theo Sainte-Luce leveled the score at 2-2 in the 80th for Montpellier. He came close to a brace but his attempt from a corner in the 90th was off target.

“I’ve been through some tough challenges and hard times,” Sainte-Luce said. “So being rewarded like this definitely feels good.”

In other matches, Rennes beat Angers 2-0 and Strasbourg won 3-0 at Le Havre.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Desire Doue reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, center, and Lyon's Moussa Niakhate react at the end of the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

PSG's Lee Kang-in, left, challenges Lyon's Nemanja Matic during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)