MANCHESTER UNITED (4-1-41): De Gea 6.5, Valencia 6.5, Smalling 6.5, Jones 6 (Rojo 75), Blind 6, Carrick 7, Mata 7 (Di Maria 81), Ander Herrera 6, Fellaini 7.5 (Falcao 83), Young 8, Rooney 6.5.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-1-1): Hart 5.5, Zabaleta 6, Kompany 5 (Mangala 46), Demichelis 6, Clichy 5, Jesus Navas 5 (Lampard 73), Toure 6, Fernandinho 5.5, Milner 5.5 (Nasri 63), Silva 6, Aguero 7
Manchester United regained the bragging rights in some style as they decimate the defending champions at Old Trafford. Goals from Marouanne Fellaini, Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling overpowered Sergio Aguero’s brace as City looked completely hapless.
City started the game brightly by opening the scoring thanks to a beautiful move initiated by James Milner and finished off by Aguero. But from then on, nothing went the visitors’ way as United clawed their back into the game.
Ashley Young’s opener gave United the belief to fight back while Fellaini’s goal asserted this belief. By the end of first half, The Reds were in cruise control as they outclassed their noisy neighbours in all the departments.
There was no difference in the story of the second half except it was all Red from the word go. City struggled to stem the tide as they conceded two goals. Juan Mata’s goal which was United’s third was the picture perfect goal where Wayne Rooney’s exquisite pass sliced open Man City’s defence to send Mata through.
Smalling’s goal was a perfect centre-half’s goal, a bullet header on far post from a super set piece. City tried to get back into the game but Sergio Aguero’s second came too late in the game.
This win has put United firmly in third place ahead of City who’re trailing their neighbours by four points.