England striker scores twice before Dutchman Robin adds an injury-time match-winner as Manchester United beat Manchester City 3-2 to six points clear atop EPL points table
Manchester United’s Robin van Persie scored a sensational stoppage-time winner to give Manchester United a 3-2 win at Manchester City yesterday that sent them six points clear in the Premier League.
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Pablo Zabaleta looked to have rescued a point for City with an 86th-minute equaliser but in the second minute of injury time, van Persie’s free-kick flicked off Samir Nasri and crept in to put United in control of the title race.
Reds hot: Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney celebrates his opening goal against Manchester City with teammate Robin Van Persie at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. Pic/AFP
Wayne Rooney had put the visitors 2-0 up with a first-half brace, before Yaya Toure replied for City on the hour.
There were unruly scenes in the aftermath of van Persie’s winner, with United centre-back Rio Ferdinand left bleeding after appearing to be struck in the face by an object thrown from the crowd.
Tevez escapes
City substitute Carlos Tevez was also fortunate to escape censure for a wild kick at Phil Jones in the dying stages, but the final whistle prompted full-bodied celebrations from Alex Ferguson’s visiting players.
City had not been beaten at home in the league since December 2010 and were protecting the last unbeaten record in English league football, but they now find their hold on the title slipping after a week that also saw them eliminated from all European competition.
Mancini handed a surprise start to Mario Balotelli and he had City’s first two openings, forcing David de Gea into a scrambling save with a low free-kick and then ballooning Gael Clichy’s cutback over the bar.
United had not been near the hosts’ area, but in the 16th minute they drew first blood.
Van Persie’s chested lay-off freed Ashley Young down the left and his pass found Rooney, who cut inside Clichy before hitting a low shot that wrong-footed England colleague Joe Hart.
There was more woe for the hosts four minutes later when captain Vincent Kompany, scorer of the only goal in last season’s corresponding fixture, had to go off with an apparent groin injury.
Hart had to race from his line to thwart Young and although Sergio Aguero then worked De Gea after barrelling through three challenges, the game's complexion had been altered and in the 29th minute, United extended their lead.
Rafael crossed from the right and with City’s centre-backs distracted by van Persie’s dart into the six-yard box, Rooney had time to sweep a right-foot shot into the bottom-left corner from 12 yards.
In the second half, Van Persie came within inches of making it 3-0 in the 59th minute, his glorious, bending effort coming back off the post before Young’s tap-in was ruled out for offside despite television replays suggesting otherwise.
Toure scores
Seconds later City were back in the game, Yaya Toure rolling home from Tevez’s cutback after De Gea had thwarted the substitute and then Silva in quick succession.
As the noise inside the Etihad Stadium increased, the drama swayed from end to end.
Patrice Evra had a penalty appeal turned down, van Persie headed over the bar, and moments later, De Gea produced a miraculous reaction save to divert Silva’s ferocious shot onto the bar from close-range.
Zabaleta drove home from Tevez’s corner to send the home fans into delirium but van Persie’s last-ditch intervention ensured there was one final twist.
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