The principle of the match was confirmed already at the 10th second. The captain of the guests, Barton, did not begin to stand on ceremony with Cristiano Ronaldo, who laid the signature feint, and simply pushed the Portuguese out of the sideline: they say, the polisher stuff will not work here. Ronaldo understood the hint and five minutes later, without going to the stroke, twisted a simple transfer into the penalty box, on the trajectory of which there were two City defenders. However, Distan kicked past the ball, and Dunn jerked to the side, creating an ideal chance for Wayne Rooney. The 50th goal in the Premier League has become one of the easiest for the United striker.
Two minutes later, Rooney could have distinguished himself again, having received an excellent transfer of Saa into touch, but delayed with a blow. And soon the first moment arose at the gate of Manchester United: a young conscript of the England national team, Mika Richards, threw the ball head past Heinze, but with a repeated nod did not hit the target. Of the two episodes given, there was no effective sense, but a few words should be said about the defendants.
Of the thirteen strokes of Manchester United, Rooney hit seven. The reason for this is not so much the eternal personal activity of the striker, but the tactical insight of Alex Ferguson. How many times have we seen how he puts Rooney on the left flank, then forces him to play the drawn forward, helping Saa pushed forward. Now, the role of the central striker finally went to Wayne, while the Frenchman went on the attack at a second pace. And such a scheme paid off: Saa gave out several sharp passes, and the emancipated Rooney managed to do everything at all - to beat, pick, pass.
Mika Richards did not deserve similar praise, but was the most active in the City, along with the Greek Samaras. Richards struck the aforementioned header by running to a stranger's gate to a canopy from the “standard”, executed from his half of the field. And after ten seconds, Giggs was biting for the ball at his own penalty. He poked his head into the legs of Samarasu after another corner, but the heat-loving Greek, who came out for the match in blue gloves, sank far above the target.
Manchester United finished the first half with a logical goal. Giggs gave an uncomfortable pass to Heinze, but Rooney pressed the defender, and he still lost the ball to the Argentine who shot at Saa's legs. The Frenchman scored and injured goalkeeper Weaver with one touch. Which, as it turned out later, only benefited the “townspeople” - in the second half Andreas Isaksson appeared in the frame, at the whim of Stuart Pearce sitting in a blank reserve. The Swedes tirelessly denied rumors about his unimportant form for half an hour of the game - he pulled the blows of Giggs and Rooney, and Wayne's most dangerous attempt was prevented especially spectacularly.
Desperate to score, Manchester United slowed down a little, and Ferguson for some reason replaced Saa with O'Shea. From now on, any other match could become boring - but not the Manchester derby. “City”, even after the break, replied with a much more useful substitute - an 18-year-old midfielder entered the field with no doubt about his nationality by the name of Ireland. First, he really checked van der Sarah with a shot in the corner, and in the 72nd minute he turned Vidich at the corner flag and gave him to the center on Hatem Trabelsi, who shied at the nearest nine with a non-working left - 2: 1. The intrigue revived, but the sensation was not born: the difference in class was too great. Now Rooney hits the right again, Dunn absurdly processes the ball in the goalkeeper and puts it on Ronaldo's foot, which removes all the questions. Manchester United players run away to celebrate a goal in a way invented in the last round - to launch imaginary rockets towards London.
At the end of the match, Graham Polle improved his ability to prove himself - the master accountant at first gave the second yellow Corradi for nothing, and then three times corrected the drawing of the safe “City” free-kick. However, Poll had no chance to spoil the game. Once again, the Manchester derby turned out to be sharp, beautiful and visual, confirming the current alignment both in the inner-city confrontation and in the championship. Manchester United are stronger.
MANCHESTER UNITED - MANCHESTER CITY - 3: 1 (2: 0)
Goals: 1: 0 - Rooney (6), 2: 0 - Saa (45), 2: 1 - Trabelsi (72), 3: 1 - Cristiano Ronaldo (84).
MANCHESTER UNITED: van der Sar, Ferdinand, Heinze, Neville, Vidic, Carrick, Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Scholes, Rooney, Saa (O'Shea, 66).
MANCHESTER CITY: Weaver (Isaksson, 46), Distan, Dunne, Richards (Beasley, 76), Thatcher, Trabelsi, Barton, Reina (Ireland, 46), Corradi, Samaras, Wassell.
Warnings: Thatcher (14), Reina (22), Rooney (55), Corradi (61).
Removal: Corradi (90).
9th December. Old Trafford, 3:45 p.m.
Judge: Graham Pull (Hertfordshire).