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Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City: Superb Sergio Aguero winner paints Manchester blue
Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City: Superb Sergio Aguero winner paints Manchester blue
CuteNaija
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Monday, April 08, 2013
They will never forget the last swing of his right foot 11 months ago, the single touch that made Manchester City champions.
And while the consequences of another moment of brilliance from that same foot will surely not be as dramatic, it gave City something to remember from a season they may wish to consign to the history books.
Sergio Aguero is among the City stars who has not kicked on this term, among those on whom the blame will fall when United eventually retake the crown.
Yet the Argentine’s brilliant winner here ensured Sir Alex Ferguson and his men will be grateful that they have so much margin for error in the final six weeks of the campaign.
Too late to matter in the title race. And too late, you fear, to keep Roberto Mancini in his job.
That is for the future. For the present, slipping to their second home defeat of the campaign, their lead down to a still-commanding 12 points, United are a team running on empty.
Even a huge break - Vincent Kompany powerless to avoid putting through his own net soon after James Milner fired City ahead - could not spark United.
Their legs are heavy, Robin van Persie’s goal drought is now at 10 games, Wayne Rooney’s frustrations could have brought him a red card.
But they earned that advantage during the dark days of winter. Stayed strong and resolute as City slipped and foundered.
With the title race seemingly over, there was no real tension beforehand - and none of the customary cat and mouse as both sides went for it. One-nil! James Milner put City ahead after a Giggs mistake
City in particular, were a different proposition to the side that has crashed and burned since the turn of the year.
Twice within the opening four minutes, Milner found room on the right of the United box, Rafael deflecting David Silva’s first effort behind and then David De Gea parrying the midfielder’s shot.
United, though, started in lively fashion too, with Danny Welbeck flicking Ashley Young’s cross at Joe Hart before wasting the chance to play the fit-again Rooney in on goal after a lightning counter-attack.
So it went on - far more open than either manager would surely have wanted.
Rooney dug out a pass to Van Persie, the Dutchman dragging his effort across the face of goal, Pablo Zabaleta powered past Patrice Evra but over-hit his cross.
City, though, were the more convincing, the more threatening, the more purposeful.
Phil Jones, operating alongside Rio Ferdinand at centre-half, made a vital intervention as Carlos Tevez seemed set to convert Silva’s slide across the six-yard box from Vincent Kompany’s diagonal ball.
Tevez was drifting deep, causing problems, Samir Nasri failing to take advantage of the next City opportunity when a deflection off Ryan Giggs gave him a shooting chance he squandered.
Silva was booked for blatantly using his hand from Zabaleta’s cross while Rooney’s studs-first challenge on Milner could have brought more than a yellow.
De Gea had not really been tested – Milner drilled at him again – and, seconds before the break, United almost edged ahead.
Carrick clipped in, Van Persie nodded and Rafael hooked goalwards, Hart happy to see the ball bounce off the top of his bar.
United, strangely subdued for most of the first period, came back out with more thrust, Welbeck appealing in vain to Mike Dean when he fell into Gareth Barry. Champion! Phil Jones forced United's leveller in off Kompany
Six minutes after the restart, though, and City were in front.
Giggs’ attempted back-heel only gave Barry an open invitation to canter down the City left, Nasri held the ball up and Milner’s left-footer from 20 yards took a deflection off Jones to beat De Gea via his hands and the post.
Within eight minutes, Jones was reflecting on the flip-side of fortune.
Yaya Toure needlessly fouled Rafael, and Van Persie’s superb delivery reached Jones, unmarked, two yards out.
Jones, inadvertently, nudged the ball away from goal – off his arm – but it hit Kompany in the back and dribbled over the line.
An own goal, despite the frenzied attempts to claim it.
City came again, De Gea scrambling across his line, Tevez’s shot prodded wide by an offside Silva, Aguero added to the mix as Mancini sought victory.
Young forced a low gather from Hart but Rafael and then Carrick threw themselves in front of Toure to thwart the Ivorian.
And 12 minutes from time Mancini’s big call paid off, as Aguero somehow wriggled clear of a clutch of red shirts before thumping high into the net.
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