Holders Manchester City lost an incredible FA Cup derby against Manchester United in a game that had everything - goals, a sending off and the return of Paul Scholes.
Wayne Rooney headed the Reds ahead after 10 minutes before City skipper Vincent Kompany was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Nani.
Danny Welbeck's superb volley put United two up before Aleks Kolarov brought the same player down in the box five minutes before half time.
Costel Pantilimon - playing in goal for City in place of Joe Hart - saved Rooney's initial effort but he headed in the rebound.
The game looked all but over at the break, but Kolarov's free-kick soon after the re-start gave City hope.
Then came the remarkable return of Paul Scholes, who is back for United until the end of the season.
But it was loose play from Scholes that allowed James Milner to cross for Sergio Aguero to score at the second attempt.
Strong start
City enjoyed the best of the early play with David Silva prominent as the Blues poured into United's half.
But on the Reds' first attack they scored. Rooney started the move, laying the ball out to Antonio Valencia down the right. The Ecuadorian fired the ball back in and Rooney planted an unstoppable header into the top corner.
A minute later City's task became almost impossible.
Skipper Kompany won the ball cleanly from Nani, but he went in two-footed and referee Chris Foy showed him a straight red.
The Blues responded well with Aguero forcing a fine save from Anders Lindegaard, but United looked dangerous on the counter attack.
And they were two up after 30 minutes when Welbeck took advantage of a touch of hesitancy from Nigel de Jong to hook home a fine volley.
City looked stunned and with United beginning to use their extra man to pick holes in City, Kolarov brought down Welbeck in the box five minutes before the break.
Pantilimon saved Rooney's spot-kick but from the rebound the striker headed home.
City seemed to have accepted their fate with the substitutions of Adam Johnson and David Silva - for Pablo Zabaleta and Stefan Savic - at the break.
But nobody told Micah Richards, who drove at the United defence and was only stopped when Patrice Evra fouled him.
Kolarov stepped up and clipped home a precision free-kick to get the home faithful singing.
Arugably the biggest cheer of the afternoon from United fans came when Scholes came on to replace Nani. He soon slotted into his familiar midfield role, pinging short passes around as if he'd never been away.
However, it was loose play from Scholes that led to City's second goal, as Milner crossed for Aguero, who finished at the second attempt past Lindegaard.
As the game wore on United regained the upperhand, with Scholes lashing one attempt at Pantilimon.
City had a late chance through Kolarov's free-kick but Lindegaard saved and United cleared.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
Comments
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I think City can be proud of getting the 2 back especially down to 10 men. We will let the big babies have that. 6-1. They can concentrate on the fa cup, we will concentrate on the League. We were unlucky not to win that even with ten men. A tail of two half's and foy the foiler. united were lucky. Proud of CITY. They fouled like no tomorrow when we were on the counter. They got away with fouls galore. Next time we play them they will get stuffed. Thats how you play with ten men. united were lucky in the end. I'm happy.
Well done City. So so proud to be a blue. Is that the best
the Rags can do against 10 men and their extra friend in black.
We may have lost yet still feel good.
This is the WORST United team that I have seen;. Lucky to have won. Time to FIRE ALEX FERGUSON. Forget the result United lucky today after a poor, poor, performance.
Pat on the back for the referee from a smiling Ferguson at the final whistle........nice touch.
City came away walking tall.
goodbye
Well done City winning the 2nd half 2-0 with 10 men vs 12 men. Chris Foy you're a disgrace.
Fantastic Derby,Fantastic Result, To you blues - we're not going away too !
Well, that's how you play against 10 men - You'd don't lose 6-1.
Chris Foy absolutely stank and Utd lost their collective backsides
in the second half. Is Lindegaard the nerw De Gea?
Real spirit - Well battled City - the moral victory to us.
there is only one team in MANCHESTER
referee-: ABSOLUTE DISGRACE
10 MEN-: MAGNIFICENT
MANCINI-: INSPIRATIONAL
This was Sunderland part 2. I thought Mancini would have learned to play the strongest team no matter what.
As soon as I saw Kolarov on the team sheet I was worried. Fair enough he can take a free kick but defensively the guy is clueless. Why not Clichy??? He's twice the player.
Landmine Lescott was at it again playing with a grenade at his feet instead of a ball.
Nasri - OMG. What has happened to him since he left Arsenal?
Credit for pulling 2 back and making it interesting. Lets hope we do Liverpool again on Wednesday.
What an exciting game. Pleased we took advantage of the sending off. Horrible second half though, what on earth were we messing about like that for..? At least we won at City, nothing more important than that.
Well done to Alias for calling the Scholes comeback a month ago. Great to see Paul back in the team, I think and hope that he will help us for the rest of the season.
Anyone got Edwin Van der Sar’s home phone number? I will call and offer to chip in an economy class ticket if he can be persuaded to come back as well :)
It wasn't even a foul! Rich one red Chris, Void game. Remember righteous These things even themselves out over the season (not).
A complete disgrace, and yet another a turn up for the red tinted record book.
Question: Who can stop City?
Answer: Only the officials.
Brilliant fighting performance from the lads, superb team spirit. Aguero phenomenal.
Sir Alex to Chris Foy at the end " Well played, your cheque's in the post"
The ref is a dirty scum rag enough said.
Where were the City players with the rebound from the penalty? Is keane a smug balloon.
I've never panicked that much in my life! 3-0 at half-time and 3-2? Those mistakes should not be repeated! At the end, victory was ours, :-)
Good bye City, you will be missed.
Never prouder to be a blue. Ref was a disgrace.
Don't worry, wait till we meet again at home in the league with Yaya and Balla back!! Sending off was a disgrace, but have to say you would hardly notice that we were a man down in the second half- We fought back, and can be proud of that performance, pd off with the result. Not starting with big Joe was a strange one, but big Pants played well and Micah was immense..
Shame on English football for allowing a referee as poor as mr Foy to be involved in any professional football match.
Took our foot off the pedal as usual - made city look better than they were - United Forever !
superb performance by the team, an incredible effort of sheer will and superior skill. To see united panicking with an extra man and clinging on was a sight to behold. NDJ was magnificent. In Yaya's absence maybe he will be back to his best.
Jesus i was close to having a heart attack just as Kolarov stepped up for that last gasp free kick - so proud of the lads and the fans there today, it mostly hurts to lose but not like that it doesn't.
Now i'll give Utd their credit their two open play goals were top finishes and their penalty was a fair decision but over the 90 minutes, even down to 10 for nearly all of it, we looked the better team. They scored with their first attempt at getting into our half and from then on i think i witnessed some of the worst refereeing i've ever seen - it was almost unbelievable..........
How excited he was to pull that red out, Kompany won the ball and was clearly in control - the final action to take the ball was more of a scissor action than a two footed lunge. He didn't even touch Nani, i actually thought it was a really good tackle with good technique, hard sure but in no way a red. Certainly no worse than Jones clearing out Aguerro through the back of the knee on 25 mins, got nothing of the ball was from behind and shock horror he didnt even get a yellow. Speaking of Jones im sorry but there was more of a case for that being a handball in the box than not, should have been a pen in my opinion - they were lucky today, very very lucky and isnt that just all so predictable.
They justifiably lost a rubbish defender in the second half of the last derby and we destroyed them. We unfairly lost our skipper after 10 minutes and took them right to the wire, thats the difference between the two teams and i couldn't be prouder. I congratulate them on their victory but they owe a big big slice of that to, yet again, some scarily inept officiating. We MUST appeal Vinnies red, if we lose him for 4 games as a result of that decision then i will puke for a week............
MOTM - Kun........sweated blue today, we love ya Sergio.........
Reds ran the show really - even without the sending off