Defeats are rarely honourable, especially in the all-or-nothing arena of a derby match. But Manchester City relinquished their hold on the FA Cup in a glorious manner that suggests they may have just tightened their grip on the Premier League title.
The Reds took the win but the Blues deserve the lion’s share of the credit.
They appeared to be heading for a reversal of the 6-1 Old Trafford massacre as they lost Vincent Kompany to a poor refereeing decision and then went three goals behind in a torrid first half.
But the character they showed in the face of such adversity, not just to avoid a hammering but to stage a remarkable fightback, speaks volumes for the spirit of this team.
Indeed, had referee Chris Foy not spotted that Phil Jones used his hand to keep out Aleks Kolarov’s cross, we would be planning for a replay at Old Trafford right now.
The contrast with the way United crumbled when they were reduced to ten men for the final 35 minutes at Old Trafford is glaring.
Indeed, ten-man City were the better team in the second half, just as United fans were anticipating a six-goal blast of their own.
By the end of this one, the City fans were boisterous and optimistic in defeat and the visiting fans were reduced to nervous incredulity.
Blaming referees is not a healthy thing to do, for players and pundits alike, but when they get it as wrong as Foy did here – on Kompany’s red card and then Jones’ handball in the box – it is unavoidable.
The debate will rage on and on, but how a player gets sent off for winning the ball and making no contact with an opponent – and clearly intending to get the ball and not the man – is a mystery.
If we go much further down this road, it will be the death of the art of tackling.
Nani’s reaction said it all. He wasn’t angry or outraged, principally because he hadn’t been touched and there was no malice to detect in Kompany’s challenge.
Kompany’s red was for serious foul play, the interpretation of which is, in the laws of the game, if a player ‘uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in play’.
We can rule out brutality so it boils down to the ref’eree’s view of ‘excessive force’.
And if Foy thinks that Kompany used excessive force, maybe he needs to re-appraise his career choice and start officiating at netball.
Of course, the United fans loved it but for the millions of neutrals tuning in around the world, the dismissal killed the game as a spectacle.
With 80 minutes still to play, the Blues had to decide whether to stick or twist – whether to try to avoid full revenge for the Old Trafford massacre or make a gallant bid to get back into it.
The decision was made for Roberto Mancini as United reaped further goals before half time.
Mancini allowed discretion to be the better part of valour by saving David Silva’s legs in the second half, replacing him with Pablo Zabaleta and going to five at the back.
With the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool looming on Wednesday, he had to take a strategic decision.
The irony about the first United goal, which was quickly followed by Kompany’s dismissal, is that it came from their first attack of the match.
Until then, City had taken possession of the ball and probed away, stretching United and seeking the gaps as they have done so well all season to take them to the top of the table.
It was a strange-looking City line-up that Mancini named, with Joe Hart on the bench and Kolarov preferred to Gael Clichy at left back.
All the pre-match talk about conspiracies, that the Toure brothers would get a last-minute reprieve from their international call-up and that injuries to Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko were red herrings, proved to be nonsense.
All four men were missing, along with suspended Gareth Barry but it was hard to tell how much City missed them due to Foy’s red card folly.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
Manchester City 2 Manchester United 3: Stuart Brennan's verdict
January 08, 2012
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Fair call but you didn't mention Rooney's contribution to the sending off even after the Ronaldo saga and his anger at that reaction( followed by that wink)
news flash >man utd do the double f.a cup winners+world club champions>lol
Brilliant, accurate review of the game. Well done Stuart.
April cannot come soon enough .The only way Man Yoo can beat us is by having a man more for the majority of the game.But the beauty of April is the handing over of The Premier League trophy ,and aint life great when ,as Im sure it will ,be handed over before we kick off and thrash them as well !!Ah yes April 28 or 29 a date no City fan will want to miss !!
Another abysmal refereeing display! How come Giggs (tackle from behind), Carrick (persistent fouls) and Jones get away with kicking City players without even getting spoken to, never mind being shown a yellow card. I have not yet seen an impartial refereeing display in a City game. We are playing against 12 men every week!
Much encouragement to be taken from this performance. Steely determination and a refusal to lose is what makes Champions and the City players have that now.
In stark contrast the Red side of this site is NOT happy about what is happening to their team. Even they think the ref was on their side and most are saying were the better team. Didn't used to hear that.
Thank you Mr. Brennan
The fact that the Toure's were in France as City had said makes you realise what a small minded person Taggart is. He actually believes that everyone else in the world is a trickster ( just like him) and lies and inuendoes come natural to everyone.
Did Scholes serve a ban after the semi?
"start officiating at netball". Perfectly put Stu, not a game lost by city, but taken away by the Red Ref.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.....!!!!!! Well I did predict a Reds victory and all you bitter berties slated me. Who's laughing now? Ha hahahahaha
Red was harsh byt united also had a stone wall penalty turned down which you managed to miss out of your report and that was just before citys second. In the words of roy keane you can give city all the credit you want, but they are still out if the fa cup. You mentioned the injuries in the city squad but again managed to totally missed out the huge injury list united have.
Mr Brennan, you 've got your opinion of Chris Foy's inept refereeing completely right.
This is the idiot who red-carded TWO players in the Chelsea v QPR game!
As you so eloquently phrased it "If we go much further down this road, it will be the death of the art of tackling"
The only red card should have been issued to Foy himself!
What a joke! He spoiled what should have been a GREAT game.
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his underwear!
There are positives to be taken out of this result:
1. All the doubters about the spirit of the players have been well and truly put in their place
2. All those who said that we only have mercenaries playing for the money well and truly put in their place
3. With the way RM set up the team to play in the 2nd half no other British Manager would have had the tactical know how. To play with 10 men for eighty minutes and play in the manner we did was fantastic. I have known teams to concede five goals in just forty minutes with ten men.
4. Neutrals around the world will see just what a fabulous team is being built at City - if yesterdays performance does not turn them towards City then nothing will - there is nothing more that a neutral loves and that is a gallant loser.
5. Vincent Kompany's reaction to the red card was an example to everyone that walks on to a football pitch - that's how a true professional reacts.
6. Everyone at Old Trafford and the rest of the football world will now be running scared of Manchester City because the way that we played in the second half showed what this team is all about.
7. How class less SAF really is "We made them look better than they were!"
8. How class less Rooney is chasing down the ref..
9. Confirmation that Chris Foy needs a break from refereeing as his decisions over the past month or so have given results to teams that they have not deserved and not just yesterday.
Stuart, think you will upset the red side with article, but you saw it as most neutrals saw it. City outclass the Rags even when they lose.
Foy lost us this game. Very biased ref, how did he miss the handball by Jones. United got lucky this time, we made them look bad even with ten men.
Mr. Brennan wrote: "If we go much further down this road, it will be the death of the art of tackling." Concise and compelling - thank you.
The fixtures on display this season so far have provided much evidence that the death of the art of refereeing has already transpired. I understand that the World Wildlife Federation will soon issue another commemorative series of collectibles featuring famous now extinct species, such as the Dodo bird, Irish Elk, Tasmanian Tiger, Passenger Pidgeon and the English Referee (football subspecies).
Who do you think will go into the next Derby with more determination? Us or them?
Shocking referee and equally shocking were the rag fans, empty seats in their end and the quietest fans I've ever known, apart from the occasional song about City which sounded like a thousand Chas and Dave's. Embarrassing in their cup final.
For any reds coming on here a few statements of fact:
Not a sending off.
Psychological battle won by City (in bucket loads)
Near full strength Man U team, bar Vidic and the immense Cleverly LOL
City missing the following - Toure x2, Ballotelli, Dzecko, Barry, Tevez (AWOL)
Welcoming back a 37 year old player as a saviour as the awy end did is desperate.
All will be settled in April.
CTID
Decisions like those.. Win some lose some. Especially with an incompetent like Foy.
After that 2nd half performance, I'm not really bothered about the result or even that we're out of the cup. Now we all know the trophy we're really after. I think yesterday will have galvanised us immeasurably.
Well done United though. Result's a result.
Spot on journalism
There's always a giant killing act some where in the 3rd round.......
Foy is a disgrace red in disguise!!!
Phew
10 against 12 is always difficult!