 |
| Nani And Rooney Score in The Reds Win |
The result not only sees the Reds bounce back from their first loss in 30 Barclays Premier League matches and cement their place at the top of the standings, but it should also all but end City's title aspirations this season as well.
Sir Alex Ferguson claimed before the match that both teams would be predictable with their lineup, but, just Roberto Mancini's comment about United being "lucky," the Gaffer tried fooling everyone by leaving out two of Reds best players this season.
The manager made three changes made to the side that lost to Wolves last week, but the most shocking was the exclusion of Dimitar Berbatov, who is Premier League's leading goal scorer, in favor of Anderson, which means that United will be deploying a 4-5-1 formation to match to at least start the match.
The other two changes that Sir Alex made came at the back, and as he promised, Chris Smalling is deputizing for Rio Ferdinand, who is out for three weeks, at center-half, however, almost as shocking, the United boss chose John O'Shea over Rafael to probably add more height and experience to the back-four.
Recap
In the fourth City really should have been ahead, but, fortunately, David Silva pushed his shot just wide of Edwin van der Sar's far post after Carlos Tevez's through ball put him clean through on goal.
The game was being played at a very alarming pace with each team putting their opposing defenders under pressure, and Nani had a chance to test Joe Hart, but his stinging left-footed drive rose just over the City crossbar.
City earned a free-kick in a very dangerous area on their left-hand side after O'Shea needlessly brought down Pablo Zabaleta, and it created half a chance for Yaya Toure on the back post, but, thankfully, it came to nothing for the visitors.
Giggs was continuing to misplace his passes, which had United's back-four stretched, and it could have very easily led to the opening goal, but two timely interventions denied the Blues.
Andre Marriner played a debatable advantage, which shortly came to nothing, however, once there was a stoppage in play, the referee booked Vincent Kompany for a very late challenge Rooney.
After Vidic did well to deny a good attacking move by City, United broke forward, themselves, but a poor cross from Giggs saw the Blues to avoid being put on the back foot.
Moments later after the Reds got the ball back Nani skinned his marker, and sent in a teasing cross to the back post, but it beat his fellow attackers and went out for a City throw-in.
A half-chance fell to the foot of Aleksandar Kolarov, but the former Lazio left-back sent his shot well over van der Sar's cross bar.
In the 34th minute, United created their best chance of the match.
After shrugging off a challenge from Tevez, O'Shea picked out Giggs wide open on the left, and the Welshman's far post cross was met well by Fletcher, but his header was directly at Hart.
Nani switched over to the left wing, and after he did well to skip passed Silva, he was invited the chance to shoot, but his deflected shot was well-collected by the City goalkeeper.
After another shaky moment from the left-side of United's defense, Silva hammered a shot directly at Evra, and out for a corner, which eventually came to nothing after a very good clearance by Fletcher.
United got in front, which was a direct result from another long clearance from van der Sar.
The big goalkeeper sent a long, searching ball forward, which Rooney did well to flick into the path of Giggs, and the Welshman quickly hit a perfectly weighted, one-touch pass to pick out his fellow winger racing forward, and then Nani used three first-class touches to evade his marker and slot the ball passed City's goalkeeper.
Moments after the United goal, James Milner, rightfully, picked up City's second booking after a scissors challenge on Rooney.
There was a half-shout of a penalty after Gareth Barry clipped the heels of Anderson, but Marriner waved away the appeals, because he thought that City defender got the ball - a 50/50 decision.
With City's back-four dropping deeper, Giggs was encouraged to have a shot from long range, and his shot just flew over Hart's bar.
To the relief of the visitors, Marriner blew the halftime whistle, because United was pinging the ball around with confidence looking to increase their lead.
The second half began with City attacking the Stretford End, and Tevez got passed two or three United defenders, but his cut-back cross was cut out well by Vidic, and then Micah Richard's cross screamed across the penalty area without any getting a touch.
A great ball from Barry sprung Yaya Toure into the United penalty area, but Vidic did well to get back, but the former Barcelona man should have been booked for going down without being touched.
Mancini decided on making the first substitution of the match bringing on Shawn Wright-Phillips on in the 52nd minute for Kolarov to add more pace and width to City's attacking down their wings.
A wild back pass from Scholes earned City an unwanted corner from the United perspective, and it required last-ditch diving header from Rooney inside own box to clear it.
Some poor clearing led to a chance for Silva at the edge of the box, but his fierce left-footed drive was hit right into the midriff of van der Sar.
United broke forward and a good slide-rule pass from Fletcher into the box saw Kompany make a great challenge on Rooney, which came out to Nani, but it was dragged wide of the near post.
Mancini was encouraged to make his second change in the 61st minute bringing on Edin Dzeko for his first taste of the Manchester Derby for Milner, which should see City switch to a 4-4-2 formation.
The switch saw more space open up in the midfield, but it also gave City more going forward.
A good interchange between Tevez and Silva saw the latter with a good chance to pick out a teammate after he was behind the United defense, but thankfull
The change proved to pay off as City drew level.
Wright-Phillips sent a low cross into the United box, and Dzeko hit the shot first-time, but it took a decisive touch of Silva's back and passed van der Sar.
Without any surprise, Paul Scholes picked up a booking, and it gave Sir Alex a chance to introduce Berbatov for Anderson.
From that ensuing free-kick United's defensive woes were again exposed, but a good save from van der Sar's foot denied Tevez - who was ruled to be offside, anyways.
The goal certainly inspired City as they attacked United with pace and power, and it saw Tevez line up a shot, but a deflection took the sting out of the shot and van der Sar was able to get off his line and collect.
Nani picked out Rooney at the edge of the box, and with his marker dropping off, he decided to shoot, but it was blocked and eventually smothered by City's goalkeeper.
Marriner played an advantage for United after Barry barged over Rooney, and it gave Nani the space to attack the City defense, but his shot screamed over Hart's crossbar.
In the 78th minute, the only word that can be described as Rooney's goal was: speechless.
Scholes picked out Nani on the right, and he sent in a cross, which took a massive deflection, but Rooney then showed Berbatov that he can also acrobatically hit a shot when his bicycle kick ended up in the top corner of the net.
The game certainly looked a bit more lively after the goal with a chances for both teams.
Right after the goal Yaya Toure hammered his adventurous shot from 35-yards out well wide of the United goal.
Then United had a chance of their own, and with better options available, Berbatov tried imprint his name on the derby, but his near post effort did not trouble Joe Hart.
Barry then got forward with space to work with on the left-hand side of the United area and picked out Dzeko, but the Bosnian's shot was well over the bar from eight yards out.
Sir Alex made his second change of the afternoon bringing on Michael Carrick for Scholes.
Giggs was shown a caution after he was judge to have caught Tevez, but the replays confirmed that the former United player made the most of it.
The ensuing free-kick saw Kompany rise well to challenge van der Sar for a 50/50 ball, which the big goalkeeper did well to keep out and Vidic cleared the danger, however, the City center-half was whistled for a foul.
The referee added four minutes of stoppage-time, which encouraged City to throw everything at United going forward, but it also encouraged the Reds to try to play a game of keep ball.
Manchester United did well to hold and claim the vital victory over their neighbors, and it was a total team performance.
Matchball
Nani was heavily involved in both of United's classy goals, which shows how instrumental he can be in the Premier League title race.
Ratings
E. van der Sar - 8; J. O'Shea - 7, C. Smalling - 8, N. Vidic - 8, P. Evra - 6; Nani - 8, D. Fletcher - 6, P. Scholes - 6 (M. Carrick - 6), Anderson - 6 (D. Berbatov - 6), R. Giggs - 6; W. Rooney - 7
Goals
Nani (41'), W. Rooney (77')
Statistics
Possession: 54%
Corners: 4
Shots (On Target): 10 (5)
Fouls Conceded (Suffered): 16 (13)
Bookings: P. Scholes, R. Giggs
Attendance: 75,322
No comments:
Post a Comment