MANCHESTER CITY 2 - 3 MANCHESTER UTD
@ETIHAD STADIUM
It was a dramatic finish, to a entertaining 164th Manchester Derby, packed with action, goals, full bloodied challenges and some unsavoury scenes too. The build up to the game was Ferguson trying to play mind games, bringing up the subject of penalties at the Etihad stadium for City. And saying that an enquiry at the House Commons should be made to look into as the Blues since 2010 have been awarded 21 Spot kick..compared to United which, The United manager hadn`t researched before the comments made as they have been awarded 20, 1 less than their Championship Winning Neighbours from across the Manchester.
And Mancini retaliation was bringing up the diving Ashley Young was well known to have done to get a majority of Uniteds pens last season. With the Italian saying he did a lot "SWIMMING in the area". So with all the talking before hand, mainly from the Red side and ex players. The time for talking had stopped and now time for Actions speaking louder than words!
So as referee Martin Atkinson Led the 2 Manchester teams onto the pitch in a Sold out game at the Etihad Stadium, With the reigning Champions hoping to show there Successful neighbours from Trafford why they are Champions.
The early stages game of the match was dominated by the Home side as United seemed to be playing a defensive game with them going on the Counter when they gained Possession. City had lots of ball but was struggling to break down the United resistant. Wayne Rooney shown he up for the game letting Yaya Toure and David Silva know by some tough challenges in a short space of time. Getting the home side fans irate with the way he challenged them. City seemed to content to try slowly build up play and outside Uniteds Penalty area, and equally the Visitors were more than happy to play a waiting game and Strike whenever they had the ball.
First real shot of the game cane from Italian striker Mario Balotelli free kick, his shot was low & hard, getting De Gea to quickly get down at his near post to turn it round. City had another half chance when Gael Clichy superb managed to keep the ball in play and cross diagonally for Balotelli, but his shot ballooned over.
A few mins later City broke when Balotelli picked up the ball from a good move inside their half and drove at the United defence sliding the ball to Sergio Aguero but his touch was too heavy and ran to De gea.
From that attack brought the opening goal, with De Gea throwing to Ashley Young down the City right, head found Van Persie who played it back to him. Young carried on his run Moving toward the area, Rooney let the ball run across him and wasn`t the cleanest strike he has made but was Accurate and fooled Joe Hart in the City net putting it in the far corner for a 1-0 lead and against the run of the play.
Worst for City their Leader and Captain Vincent Kompany had to go off with a Groin injury in the 20th min looking very annoyed and pained too. United came into the game more now buoyed by the lead and that Kompany the heart of the defence was gone from the picture. But City still had little attacks especially when Aguero nearly score a goal like his Father in law Diego Maradona did. When he ran through the United team beating 7 players all trying to tackle him and not succeeding but his finish was tame and rolled in the hands of the United keeper.
Worst was to come for the Home side as That man again Rooney scored for 2-0 following good work from Valencia and Rafael combining putting a cross in and Rooney side footing it home for a what seemed like a Killer goal at the time. For all the ball they had, they just couldn`t make it pay and United were threatening with each attack they had as City struggled to deal with the Counter play. City had another chance when coming up to half time Gareth Barry had a go at trying to place his shot but was wide of the goals and so the whistle to end the 1st HALF came.
HALF TIME : MANCHESTER CITY 0 - 2 MANCHESTER UNITED
2nd Half resumed with a couple of early changes for each side as United subbed the Injured Johnny Evans for Chris Smalling and City replaced Mario Balotelli with Argentinian and Ex Red Carlos Tevez. As as the sub was made Balotelli huffed and stormed down the tunnel. But Tevez arrival gave City some spark and they came to life. Aguero had space and tried a curler from the D and his shot wasn`t far away, City were getting a bit more adventurous and after Aguero and Silva passing a ball was played to Sami Nasri and his fizzing ball was just toe poked away by Ferdinand at the last min, as it may well have been a goal.
United thought they`d gone 3 up when a Van Persie came back off the post and and across goal for Ashley Young to tap home and much to the dismay of him and the United fans it was chalked off for Offside , But on replays he was onside. From that City was on the attack and when Tevez played in Nasri, he gave it him back shot on goal, Saved by De Gea first and then Silva from the rebound. Tevez effort was blocked, he held the ball up saw Yaya Toure running in and he placed it far corner like Rooney with the same type of finish to cut the lead in half a and set up an interesting 30 mins to play.
United broke away from a City free kick, as Yaya was pulling back Van Persie and he threw an arm and kicked him behind play making the Ivorian fall. But then with Rooney running of space proceeded to do a Chris Ashton type "Swan Dive" and wasn`t the best dive ever either. It then became a full out war, with meaty tackles flying in, Was a full bloodied derby game now! This was real end to end football now.
United had an appeal for a pen turned down and City appealed for a free kick, for hand ball against Chris Smalling as he was sliding put his hand on the ball fully to stop it rolling away, but was missed by Atkinson didn`t give it. United had another attack when Valencia crossed for Van Persie who was beat by Barry on the back post to knock it away for a corner. Before the corner came in Rooney complained to the ref of coins being thrown at him showing him the evidence.
The Referee annoyed the Blue side when Yaya Toure ran down the touchline skipping over a Rooney tackle which had Yaya stumbling momentarily and then over a Tom Cleverly challenge, as he ran on with space and City on a couple man Advantage wrongfully pulled play back and booked Rooney for his attempted tackle instead of letting play carry on.
City were struggling with Valencia down the right wing as he was making good plays but his end ball was at times poor. Silva had a chance to tie it up as his shot was saved by De gea with his shoulder, but once again United had another chance to make it 3-1, as this Rooney had the ball floated it in the area for Van Persie whose header was miles high over the bar.
Rooney had a run towards goal but was stopped by Barry leading to a strop by the United striker for not getting the foul, the game was really getting intense and could go either way. United started another attack to which Young was fouled but much to the annoyance of City fans decided he`d play unlike the Toure attack earlier. City stifled the attack of the Red Devils and with time ticking on and close to 84 mins, City brought on the "Super sub" Edin Dzeko who replaced an injured Yaya Toure who picked up a knock from a booking earlier he got on Cleverly.
United brought on Phil Jones for Valencia as they tried to tighten up at the back and hold onto the 2-1 lead, City was awarded a corner, Tevez swung it in, knocked on away from goal by Barry on the near post and Pablo Zabeleta came storming in and whacked it low in the bottom corner as all 4 goals had been score in the same part of the net. and made this game 2-2 and looked like City had earned a well deserved point in the 85th min.
Moments before the 90mins Tevez set up Silva with a cheeky backheel but his very tame shot was saved by De gea in the United net. And so we had 4 more mins left to play in the game. THEN came the crushing blow to City, a ball that was deep in the City end was left as Clichy called Joe Hart to collect it as he was favorite, but he chose to stay on his line, making Clichy have top play it and instead of playing it out, chose to get out of trouble. But instead, walked into it! Getting Dispossessed by Welbeck and then Rafael went down from a slightest of touches as Tevez cut behind him. So United had a free kick near the outside of the area.
Van Persie stepped up and stuck the stray leg of Nasri who was hiding behind Dzeko and wrong footed Hart and went in for Late late goal AGAIN for United against City. As a majority of United players celebrated infront of their own fans. Phil Jones did a Gary Neville running over to the City fans taunting them and then led to absolute chaos!
Ferdinand was stuck in the face by a coin,just above his eye cutting him open. As a few idiot City fans behaved embarrassing for the club, and then a fan ran on the pitch trying to attack Ferdinand and Joe Hart saw him coming as the fan slipped he grabbed the fan and though the police and stewards grabbed him. He still tried to get free and go again. Was a unpleasant ending to a good game, spolit by a few mindless idiots come the end.
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