LOCAL hero Paul Scholes transferred the Manchester bragging rights back to the red half of the city as the Blues' Old Trafford misery continued.
The midfielder only returned to first-team action last weekend after two months on the sidelines and how City must have wished he had been missing today as their unhappy run of not winning at their neighbours' home since 1974 was extended into a third decade.
Gifted the freedom of the park by a visiting side which appeared incapable of picking up one of the deadliest players in the Barclaycard Premiership, Scholes took just seven minutes to find the net, then finished the Blues off midway through the second period after Kevin Keegan's side had briefly threatened an unlikely comeback.
Gifts
Predictably, Ruud van Nistelrooy also contributed to the Red Devils' victory parade, nodding home his 16th goal of another magnificent campaign.
Scholes had played a major role in that effort as well, releasing Ryan Giggs after City had gifted their opponents possession in a defensive mix-up.
And if that was not enough, the ginger genius also booted Nicolas Anelka's last-minute header off the line as United maintained their Premiership title drive.
With such an awful recent record at Old Trafford and without a win in their last seven games, most of City's hopes had been pinned optimistically to the law of averages.
Unfortunately, such flaky belief requires an inclination to ignore talent, form and desire which, on the evidence of the first 45 minutes, United boasted more of in every department.
As the half wore on, City showed an alarming reluctance to pick up Scholes, who sauntered around the field largely untroubled by blue shirts.
There was certainly no defender near him when he ghosted into the area and steered Gary Neville's excellent inswinging cross into the net after just seven minutes.
Collision
Given their current barren run of results, it was precisely the start City did not need and on the balance of play, they were fortunate not to be further behind long before van Nistelrooy netted United's second.
It was not that United were playing particularly well, just that the Blues were so poor.
The spark Steve McManaman was supposed to supply was completely absent. Nicolas Anelka appeared to be only half-interested and Joey Barton's combative nature was restricted to a couple of lunging tackles on Phil Neville which conceded two free-kicks and a yellow card.
Only the stout defending of Richard Dunne deserved praise, so it was a pity for the Irishman that he was involved in the mid-pitch collision with Barton which gifted Scholes possession and eventually saw Giggs cross for van Nistelrooy to head home.
It left Keegan with a similar salvage job to the one he completed on City's previous visit. On that occasion they were only a goal adrift, which took a further 40 minutes to pull back.
This time, the Blues were on the scoresheet within eight minutes of the re-start.
So often, Wright-Phillips fails to find a finish to match his excellent approach work. However, after beating Scholes and Phil Neville, the England Under-21 international unleashed a low angled drive that Tim Howard was unable to keep out.
City were naturally encouraged and as their opponents momentarily panicked, Robbie Fowler might have done better with a 35-yard header which drifted wide of a gaping goal after Howard's poor clearance had bounced straight into his path.
Saving grace
The extra forcefulness City had found in attack opened the game up, although it was United who continued to carve out the better chances.
Ryan Giggs toed the ball just the wrong side of the post after David Seaman had failed to collect van Nistelrooy's cross, then the Dutchman headed wide under pressure from Fowler.
When David Seaman made an excellent fingertip save to send van Nistelrooy's effort crashing onto the post after the striker had been set free by Scholes, City must have fancied their chances of completing a miracle escape.
Instead, straight from the throw-in, they conceded again as Scholes finished off Kleberson's cross with another assured header.
City bravely rallied and both Anelka and McManaman forced good saves from Howard before Scholes had the final word. Defence or attack, his value to this United team is virtually incalculable.
Have your say on United's derby success.
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its a pity kk doesnt realise that city cant compete with a 2 man midfield (swp+jb), they are both talented, contribute, and give the side something. the same cannot be said of sinclair and macmanaman. neither of them are effective, and cannot 'hurt' opposing sides. whilst macca receives a lot of the ball, he cant adjust to the pace, and slows it all down, and at best plays a 'wilkins' ball. it goes without saying that, any side who is saddled by the obligatory inclusion of 2 inadequate midfielders is going to struggle, both up front and at the back. who's the gaffa, macca or kk ?
paul scholes was fantastic in this game 2 goals a clearance off the line, he is world class,once again city are back in our shadows where they belong
Dead on Bubba. KK left his best midflieder (Reyna) on the bench. I guess Yanks can't get the nod in blue, even if they have performed much better than anyone else in the middle. The way KK has ferouciosly defended his over age, over paid signings, while forcing them down Cithehs throat, tells me he may be skipping town soon.
We were perfect again Wright Phillips was lucky . Giggs was good too. We are richer than city how do they think they can win? We will win everything again this season. I wish someone would buy this club and move it down south then I wouldn't have to travel so far!
Thoroughly enjoyed the the dismantling of what I think is not a very good city side!
From all the recent postings and the words eminating from the blue side I was expecting a bit of a game???
Good performance from the reds, did the usual after halftime though and city made a game of it for about 20 mins.
Once the 'great one' had closed the door normal service resumed. Again Tim Howard excellent and we are beginning to see why SAF bought Kleberson, for me he has already done more for the team than Veron did in 2 years!
City have huge problems they had 2/3 players that showed any desire Joey Barton, Dunne and have to say impressed with Wright Phillips! As for the rest, sorry KK but you haven't spent your money wisely over-rated over-aged players that if your not careful will take you down, they don't care??? What about these youngsters they are supposed to have in their academy, throw them in surely they would win more games for you than this lot?
Once upon a time City were able to compete with UTD, but not any more, the best the blues can hope for these days is like last season UTD don't "turn up". There's an unbridgeable gulf between the two clubs, more on that later. Regarding yesterday's performance. City were extremely fortunate not lose by a lot more, it was only poor finishing by Giggs and RVN that kept the score down. City's goal was a fluke too, the replay clearly showed Phillips didn't mean to put the ball through Schole's legs, and the same applies to putting it through JOS legs. Fowler's best effort came by way of a huge deflection and Ronaldo did his best to present the lazy Frenchman Anelka with his best chance (I wouldn't sign him by the way). McManaman's shot was the Blues most noteworthy effort.
After the game once again we heard Keegan's comedy quotes, hinting that with better finishing City should have done better. Keegan was at a loss to come up with anything positive, though he will always try. The thing is, UTD are better in EVERY department - and so we should be given the resources at our disposal, when City made a mistake they were punished - that's the difference at the very highest level, as already stated it could have been a lot worse for City if Giggs (x3) had taken his chances along with RVN.
Time is running out for City and KK, on the face of it, he's done a great job, it wasn't so long ago that City were in the third division, but when you look at the money KK has spent in comparison to younger and hungrier managers like Curbishley, his record doesn't look so impressive. Moving to the council house should have given City a platform to build upon, what other club in the history of English football has been given such a huge leg up?
Yet, City find themselves B#50m in the red, how on earth have they managed to do this, when they didn't have to build that new stadium? It's mismanagement of funds on a huge scale. Keegan didn't attend the AGM last week, and who can blame him following a performance that a high school football team would have been ashamed of in Poland? And with the job at Anfailed coming up, who'd bet against KK jumping ship, again?
It's a sorry mess for you City fans out there, the January transfer window will soon be upon us and yet there'll no good news for the long suffering Blues, there's no money to spend, the best that City can hope for is to reduce the wage bill by moving on one or two players. Without money to spend the comedy express is going nowhere, well certainly not in the right direction, the new year could see City involved in a relegation battle, it was ever thus...
so mark mcilvaney, you say city are back in the shadows where we belong, but at least you are where most united fans belong - a couple of hundred miles away rom manchester.
there was a lack of passion apart from barton and swp , we gave them 2 easy goals , you can't do that at the ragstadt . we were better 2nd half but again gave it away . anelka missed a sitter to give us a chance . what can we do to end this poor run ? are we any better 12 months down the line ? world class? players have replaced goater horlock et al , we must get at least 6 points from the xmas games or 2004 is looking pretty grim.
Scholes was born in ordsal Salford Not Olham?
He scores goals galore he scores goals GALORE
Did you see the Groclin Salford Branch Banner in the Strettie
Where are you waffleman? I thought you would have something to say about how unlucky you were... A real spank... We haven't heard from you either
Paul Scholes was born i n Salford not Oldham. This local paper should get that right!
quite impressed with Kleberson's contribution. He is slowly coming into the MUFC team. Ronaldo is also coming into the team, you can see that with his passing back to players, sprint, get the ball back and deliver. In the past, he will be the lone ranger.
Very impressed with Howards' hands, he is good for someone so young.
But we still need to get another accomplished striker. But not anelka, he seems to lack the reds' fighting spirit.
Porto is going to be a tough game, but I believe in you, Man U.
Scholes the difference. Dominated most of the midfield with Keane. Sun has to be dropped NOW. Nutmegged 3 times (John O'Shea made him look stupid). Sun can't defend, can't pass and gives away free kicks in very dangerous positions. McManaman quiet again. City not compact enough, no one-touch passing, all too slow. Not a single ball won in the whole of the first half. Time to give Bosvelt and Reyna the chance they deserve, sort out the full back positions (too many crosses get into the box EVERY game). Get Tiatto back from injury and put him left back or left mid. Needs sorting.
Wonder where all the Blues who just loved to write this column went?
Anyway if it was any consolation to them, we were just awful and very lucky to get away with a win (knowing them, they'll never admit we were and always will be better)!!!!!
An all round better display from United. Tim Howard was excellent, and even though he wasnt kept that busy, im sure he is quickly on the way to being one of the best keepers in the Premiership.
SWP was probably their best player, and i dont think City fans have much to look forward to if the other players continue to show so little interest.
C'mon City fans, wheres all the talk of "4 points" now?
United had the pride and passion for the derby and wanted to win for the fans, where as we didn't show up in the first half. With the exception of SWP and Dunne (who's marking was poor but effort was there) the rest didn't look interested. It could easily have been 4 or 5 nil by half time. In some respects i wish it had been so that someone somewhere with influence over city could lay the law down to KK and the boys in no uncertain terms. We were a disgrace and i get the impression we are just a pension fund for players at the end of their careers. I have no shame in admitting United deserved the win or offering my congratulations. But i don't know how most of the city team have the front to pick up their wages. I feel cheated.
I think relegation is on the cards this season. None of the players KK has brought look interested, 3 points off the relegation zone says it all
Any of United's starting XI from saturday would get in the City XI any day of the week. Sad but true. It's a measure of where we have gone from last season. Nice to see Christiano Ronaldo was as good as ever (haha). Wish he'd started, we might have snook a draw.
Overall good performance and the win was never in doubt against a side for whom too many of the players have no passion, a bit like city's support on Saturday. Frustrating to see Giggs miss two easy chances but his cross for Ruud's goal was first class. City did well for 20 minutes at the start of the second half without really looking like equalising whereas when United attacked we looked very dangerous. After this display, I cannot believe any United fan would want us to sign Anelka even if he came for free.
Come you gobby blues...where are you now? Especially that Nick idiot. City were poor, worse than Villa. 3 points from relegation you are. We didn't play that well but did it when we had to. KK came out with the classic - "We're not far behind them"! Not far? Must have bloody good eyesight or was he using the Hubble telescope?
HTT - I don't think us Blues have anything to be gobby about considering the current state of our team and I use the word loosely. City were poor but at least it was n't a 5-0 thrashing which I expected.
Three changes in the game would of made it more competitive! Reyna for Sun, Berkovic for Mcwhatever he is and Macken for Fowler gone in the game. Leicester City I mean the rags had the better of the game but we still had our chances to level. SWP, Barton and Dunne showed once again that they are the nucleus of any future team but the rest for me can go cause there not worth the pay packet! I congragulate the manc reds well done but the rest of you glory hunters from the rest of the UK and the globe go away your not worth the breath guys and gals!!
Head Toad - Yip we were fairly bad . First half was the worst I've ever seen in a Derby from us (two fouls - says it all really) and was embarrassing to be associated with. Thing I'd worry about if I was you was that when we did improve a bit in the second half we did create a fair amount of clear cut chances and a team in better form than us might well have put three of them away. That said we were well stuffed. Boxing made it a good day out in the end - perhaps we should play Hatton in the middle of the park. And Derek who rattled your cage ? Have you ran out of sheep to worry ?
Blue Dave - the term 'gobby' was aimed at the sabre rattling blue goons that fail to see the sad state of their team. I recognise that there are some more learned city fans who know that they support a team in poor form. I expected a turkey shoot and had to be content with 3-1. No offence mate.
Were was all the citee fighting spirit, all the gusto about playing for the pride of the shirt, this was nothing but an over-rated, over payed pack of girls who deserve nothing better than relegation...........hold on who`s face would we rub in the ground each year then?