Manchester United 4-2 Manchester City:
Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling on target as Red Devils run riot
- Aguero opened scoring in the 8th minute, tapping in Silva's pinpoint cross
- Young levels minutes six minutes later, reacting to a loose ball in the box
- Fellaini nods in Young's cross for his sixth of the season in the 28th minute
- Mata punished weak City defending to add a breakaway third in the 66th
- An unmarked Smalling nodded home Young's free-kick to make it four
- Aguero finished Zabaleta's cross for a consolation late on
- Vincent Kompany's challenge on Daley Blind attracted criticism - and a booking - and he was substituted after half-time
- City had won the last four Manchester derbies but sank to their fourth defeat in six Premier League games
- For United, this was a sixth successive win, and a hugely impressive one
A season that seemed to be heading down a cul-de-sac when Arsenal defeat them here in the FA Cup last month will perhaps now be remembered not only for a return to European football but also for this, a victory over their neighbours that was even more complete, more brutal, than the scoreline suggests.
Manchester City actually bookended this game with two very good goals, Sergio Aguero scoring in the eighth minute and the 88th minute. What happened in between, however, served to confirm what recent form had hinted at, namely that United have finally found their true selves again while Manuel Pellegrini’s City have fallen off the edge of the proverbial cliff.
Old Trafford roars with Marouane Fellaini after the influential Belgian gave the Red Devils the advantage
Fellaini leaps to meet Ashley Young's superb cross with a thumping header to give United the lead
City's defence was caught flatfooted and Joe Hart could only watch as Fellaini's header flew into the net
Juan Mata was released by Wayne Rooney and the Spaniard ran through to shoot between Hart's legs
Mata once again showed his value to the side with a display full of energy, poise and intelligence
All of United's outfield players congratulate Chris Smalling after his close-range header sealed the rout
Ashley Young latches on to a loose ball and fires past the despairing dive of Hart to level matters
Wayne Rooney cannons the ball into the net in celebration as Juan Mata and Young charge to the sidelines
Sergio Aguero finishes off a surgical move for City, tapping David Silva's cross into the empty net
The United defence remonstrate with one another as David de Gea fumes after conceding an early goal
There have been some convincing victories in these games in recent times, just about all of them going City’s way. Here – from the moment Ashley Young equalised in the 14th minute – it was United’s turn to deny their opponents some mercy.
Marouane Fellaini – the Barclays Premier League’s renaissance man – headed United in to the lead from a Young cross seven minutes later and from that point on the score line simply glowed red.
City clung on to half-time – at which point they lost their captain Vincent Kompany to injury – but were engulfed by the tide from that point on. Joe Hart saved magnificently from Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick but was subsequently beaten by Juan Mata and Chris Smalling.
Both of those goals were dreadful from City’s point of view. The defending champions have lost all semblance of cohesion and conviction in recent weeks and for them the height of their ambitions this season would appear to be to hang on to fourth place and a Champions League spot. Louis van Gaal’s United, meanwhile, will head to Chelsea next Saturday believing anything is possible.
What will irritate Pellegrini as he reflects on all this is that his team had started so well and then allowed United back in to the game with some football that betrayed a lack of confidence but also of concentration.
Manuel Pellegrini shifts uncomfortably in his seat on a torrid afternoon for his rudderless side
Yaya Toure, who was anonymous all afternoon, trudges towards the centre circle
Many felt Vincent Kompany was fortunate to escape with just a booking after this challenge on Daley Blind
The Dutchman flew into the air after Kompany's stud high tackle just before the break
Mark Clattenburg books the City captain, who was substituted immediately after half-time
City have grown used to coming here and starting well over recent years and did it again here. The champions took the lead in the eighth minute and had created two chances prior to Aguero’s goal.
United goalkeeper David de Gea denied Jesus Navas with his legs as the Spaniard raced clear in the fifth minute before a tackle from Chris Smalling denied the same player in the penalty area and then a poor first touch from Yaya Toure meant that red shirts were able to block his shot after the ball broke to him from a corner.
In truth, United didn’t cope at all well with City in the opening moments. David Silva found pockets of space and United couldn’t track the players running off him. Before we had even reached ten minutes, these factors had contributed to City taking the lead.
Left back Gael Clichy drifted past Antonio Valencia and Ander Herrera far too easily and when Silva was eventually released to the byline he was able to pull the ball back to Aguero, who had arrived in to the penalty area simply by running harder than Juan Mata and Michael Carrick.
It was a lovely goal and a simple one, too. At that stage it already looked portentous in terms of what was about to come. United – up against an opponent that looked hungry – briefly looked as though they may be about to regress in to what they were a month or so ago. They looked edgy, static and terribly unsure of themselves.
Wayne Rooney leaps onto the big Belgian's back after United take the lead
Ander Herrera skips inside fellow countryman David Silva during another decent showing from the Spainiard
Mata gives Gael Clichy something to think about as the mercurial Spaniard plots another attack
Had City scored again at that point then who know what would have happened. Matches can turn in single instants, however, and that was what happened here. United still hadn’t found their feet really when De Gea was called upon to dash from goal and clear hastily from the edge of the area as Navas bore down on him.
As the ball dropped towards the left touchline, however, City got themselves in to a pickle and after an exchange of passes Daley Blind was able to cross to the near post where the excellent Young bundled the ball in after winning his dual with Clichy.
It was a goal rather out of nothing but it was one that typified United’s current mood. They are a team running hot on belief at the moment and as Van Gaal’s team used that goal to bring them impetus, it was suddenly City who looked nervous and fretful.
As United began to smell sky blue blood and move forwards, it soon became clear that City were not comfortable dealing with Fellaini. The big Belgian was a devilish presence behind Wayne Rooney in the win at Liverpool recently and once more here he proved influential.
Aguero finished off an incisive City move which cut through United's defence in an impressive opening spell
United went back to basics for the leveller, with Young pouncing after Herrera's cross hit Gael Clichy
United exploited City's right wing for their second too, with Young and Daley Blind combining to great effect
Intelligent play from Rooney set up the third, with Mata darting through and coolly slotting home
Smalling rose unmarked to head Young's free-kick beyond Hart to make it 4-1 for rampant United
Aguero gave a semblance of respectability to the scoreline by meeting Pablo Zabaleta's cross late on
The first half was still in its relative infancy when Fellaini edged United ahead. This time Young was in his usual position on the left flank where he was causing City right-back Pablo Zabaleta all kinds of trouble. Looking up across the field, there really was only one option as he saw Fellaini easing towards the back post. Criminally, City had left Clichy to dealk with him and when the cross arrived the contest was brutally one-sided as Fellaini climbed to head the ball through Joe Hart and in to the back of the net.
Already, City had the look of a team that sensed this really was not going to be their day. They still enjoyed some decent possession but their shots were over hit, their passes poor. Vincent Kompany could have been sent off for a wild challenge on Blind and damaged his thigh in making the tackle. He was booked and did not appear for the second half.
Milner then shot embarrassingly high in to the Stretford End when well placed before Aguero over ran the ball horribly when a decent touch and square pass would perhaps have played Silva in for the equaliser.
At half-time, the game was technically speaking still in the balance. The lead was only one. However, the momentum shift that had started when Young scored was already beginning to look too much for the visiting team. What happened in the second half was only to confirm that.
City had the look of a side trying to do the right things early in the second half but by now the flow was only one way. Hart saved well from a Rooney free-kick in the 51st minute and then again from Carrick’s follow up. Fifteen minutes later, though, he could do nothing as United broke to score again and on this occasion City really did have only themselves to blame.
Sir Alex Ferguson returned to his old stomping ground to see his former charges beat the 'noisy neighbours'
Roy Hodgson shares a joke before kick-off and will have been pleased with several performances
United's co-chairmen Joel (left) and Avram Glazer were also in the stands to see a vital derby victory
Martin Demichelis was all over the place as he came to intercept a pass 40 yards from goal and as United picked up possession there was a huge hole through which Rooney was able to play Juan Mata. Replays showed that the Spaniard was offside and City will rue that. Nevertheless, the finish Mata applied was exceptional, waiting for Hart to commit himself before rolling the ball through hus legs.
Old Trafford hasn’t seen this for a while. United dominant and rampant. City held in a vice-like grip. Soon after it was four, Young’s free-kick proving too much for a static City defence who allowed Chris Smalling to move in to space and head in from six yards.
Smalling and Young typify United’s recent improvement. Both have made huge strides recently and were at the heart of all that was good about this performance. Equally, the fourth goal provided a snapshot of everything that is wrong with City. The defence of their title ended some time ago but things have only got worse. They were second best everywhere from the 14th minute onwards here and it has been a while since we have said that.
Aguero’s second goal, two minutes from time, was a good one. To call it a consolation, however, would be to over-state things.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3035938/Manchester-United-4-2-Manchester-City-Ashley-Young-Marouane-Fellaini-Juan-Mata-Chris-Smalling-target-Red-Devils-run-riot.html#ixzz3X7HWtrGQ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
