WAYNE ROONEY was as good as his word. After the midweek draw in Villarreal, he predicted United would return from Spain and be crowned Kings of Manchester. It was a throne they had abdicated last season when they lost both derbies.
Yesterday the champions of England and Europe were back in charge of their city. The scoreline was narrow and City did have a shot cleared off the line in injury time. But the 90-plus minutes showed a huge gulf between the two teams. The deciding goal came from the boot of Rooney, his 100th in club football — 17 for Everton and 83 now for United.
He will not have had a simpler one in the century but it meant as much as any of them. After eight games without a goal, his frustration was beginning to boil. Then with one stab of his foot from two yards the burden was lifted from his shoulders as he took to the air in celebration.
It was two minutes before the break as City failed to clear their lines. Michael Carrick controlled the ball with his right foot and shot with his left. Joe Hart saved but the alert Rooney buried the rebound. He charged all the way to the halfway line before jumping and punching the air. What a contrast this was to a later moment of ignominy for Cristiano Ronaldo.
For the second time in three visits to The City of Manchester Stadium, he was sent off. Two seasons ago it was for a lunge on Andy Cole — yesterday it was for sheer stupidity. He had been booked in the first half for a foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips, one of four United players shown yellow for fouling the same player.
The next time Alex Ferguson moans about treatment dished out to Ronaldo he should be reminded of the way Wright-Phillips was systematically fouled by the Reds and almost kicked out the game. Ronaldo could have been sent off for that incident as, after being booked, he sarcastically clapped referee Howard Webb. Remember Rooney being sent off for the same thing at Villarreal three seasons ago? His second yellow came in the 67th minute and he can have no complaints.
Rooney fired over a corner and Ronaldo realised he had mistimed his jump so put his hands up and batted the ball down. There was no push, there had been no whistle, there was no excuse. His look of disbelief must have been at his own aberration. Fortunately for him, United were strong enough to hold out with 10 although City very nearly grabbed an undeserved share of the points.
From an injury-time corner, Darren Fletcher’s clearance bounced off Vincent Kompany and rebounded to Richard Dunne and his drilled shot was cleared off the line by Patrice Evra. The French full-back was superb throughout this game. He began his United career with this fixture in January 2006 as City won 3-1 and had a nightmare. But he has hardly put a foot wrong since and yesterday caused more problems down the flank than Ronaldo.
Another unsung hero is Ji-Sung Park, who ensures the opposition can never settle when he is around. United held possession better, played the ball around better and defended better to claim their 13th clean sheet in 22 games in all competitions. City can point to the injury-time goalline clearance — yet from that, United could have got a second.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart had raced up for the corner and had to sprint back to stop a 50-yard Rooney lob from going in. City also had a moment in the first half when Stephen Ireland’s shot just needed a touch from Micah Richards to divert it in. In truth the richest club in the world still has some way to go before it is on a par with the biggest in the world. Eastlands boss Mark Hughes knows that. He refers to City as a work in progress because, when it comes to the here and now, United remain the team to beat at home and abroad.
Yesterday the champions of England and Europe were back in charge of their city. The scoreline was narrow and City did have a shot cleared off the line in injury time. But the 90-plus minutes showed a huge gulf between the two teams. The deciding goal came from the boot of Rooney, his 100th in club football — 17 for Everton and 83 now for United.
He will not have had a simpler one in the century but it meant as much as any of them. After eight games without a goal, his frustration was beginning to boil. Then with one stab of his foot from two yards the burden was lifted from his shoulders as he took to the air in celebration.
It was two minutes before the break as City failed to clear their lines. Michael Carrick controlled the ball with his right foot and shot with his left. Joe Hart saved but the alert Rooney buried the rebound. He charged all the way to the halfway line before jumping and punching the air. What a contrast this was to a later moment of ignominy for Cristiano Ronaldo.
For the second time in three visits to The City of Manchester Stadium, he was sent off. Two seasons ago it was for a lunge on Andy Cole — yesterday it was for sheer stupidity. He had been booked in the first half for a foul on Shaun Wright-Phillips, one of four United players shown yellow for fouling the same player.
The next time Alex Ferguson moans about treatment dished out to Ronaldo he should be reminded of the way Wright-Phillips was systematically fouled by the Reds and almost kicked out the game. Ronaldo could have been sent off for that incident as, after being booked, he sarcastically clapped referee Howard Webb. Remember Rooney being sent off for the same thing at Villarreal three seasons ago? His second yellow came in the 67th minute and he can have no complaints.
Rooney fired over a corner and Ronaldo realised he had mistimed his jump so put his hands up and batted the ball down. There was no push, there had been no whistle, there was no excuse. His look of disbelief must have been at his own aberration. Fortunately for him, United were strong enough to hold out with 10 although City very nearly grabbed an undeserved share of the points.
From an injury-time corner, Darren Fletcher’s clearance bounced off Vincent Kompany and rebounded to Richard Dunne and his drilled shot was cleared off the line by Patrice Evra. The French full-back was superb throughout this game. He began his United career with this fixture in January 2006 as City won 3-1 and had a nightmare. But he has hardly put a foot wrong since and yesterday caused more problems down the flank than Ronaldo.
Another unsung hero is Ji-Sung Park, who ensures the opposition can never settle when he is around. United held possession better, played the ball around better and defended better to claim their 13th clean sheet in 22 games in all competitions. City can point to the injury-time goalline clearance — yet from that, United could have got a second.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart had raced up for the corner and had to sprint back to stop a 50-yard Rooney lob from going in. City also had a moment in the first half when Stephen Ireland’s shot just needed a touch from Micah Richards to divert it in. In truth the richest club in the world still has some way to go before it is on a par with the biggest in the world. Eastlands boss Mark Hughes knows that. He refers to City as a work in progress because, when it comes to the here and now, United remain the team to beat at home and abroad.
