soccer

City sinks United in demolition derby; Arsenal goes to top

7 Comments

Manchester City thrashed Manchester United 4-1 in an extraordinary derby match as Arsenal went top of the Premier League on Sunday.

In what was a first Manchester derby for both City manager Manuel Pellegrini and United counterpart David Moyes, Sergio Aguero scored twice at Eastlands with Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri also on target for the hosts.

The first match between the two clubs since Alex Ferguson retired as manager of English champions United at the end of last season saw Aguero open the scoring in the 16th minute when he flicked in Aleksandar Kolarov's cross despite the ball being behind him.

Toure made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time when he turned in Alvaro Negredo's header from a corner.

Whatever Moyes said at the interval to a United team missing injured striker Robin van Persie had little effect as within five minutes of the restart City were 4-0 up.

Negredo saw his lofted cross to the far post volleyed in by the unmarked Aguero.

And, in another example of poor United defending, Jesus Navas went unchallenged down the right before his cross was struck home by Nasri.

Wayne Rooney pulled one back for United when he beat fellow England international Joe Hart with a free-kick three minutes from time that gave the striker a record 11th goal in Manchester derbies.

"It was a great win against Manchester United and no-one believes that 4-1 is possible before the game," said Pellegrini. "We try to be the team that has possession of the ball and creates chances."

Skipper Vincent Kompany believes City were hungrier for the win.

"Maybe the game meant a little bit more to us than for them," said the Belgian. "It's too early to say it's a defining game. You make a statement over the course of the season."

Moyes admitted United had been outplayed.

"We didn't play well enough to win the game. Manchester City played well and deserved the victory," said Moyes. "If you lose four you are not expecting to win too many. We conceded poor goals. We needed to get closer in the second half but they get away and score more goals. We got better as the game went on but it was too late."

Arsenal went top with a 3-1 win over Stoke at the Emirates Stadium and remained there on goal difference after north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur joined them on 12 points following a 1-0 win away to Cardiff.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey made it seven goals in eight games when he gave Arsenal a fifth-minute lead after Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic had palmed away a Mesut Ozil free-kick.

Stoke equalised when United States international Geoff Cameron scored his first goal for the club in the 26th minute from the edge of the box after Marko Arnautovic's volley came back off the post.

Arsenal though were 2-1 up before half-time through centre-back Per Mertesacker's looping header.

Bacary Sagna then made Stoke pay once more for failing to defend a set-piece when he headed home in the 72nd minute from another free-kick by £42.4 million ($66 million) club record signing Ozil, the Germany international producing a sparkling display on his Gunners' home debut.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was understandably delighted by Ozil's performance.

"Like the team he (Ozil) gave a lot on Wednesday night (in the Champions League victory away to French side Marseille), but he showed his class today and he worked hard as well," Wenger said.

It seemed Tottemham would have to settle for a goalless draw in Wales until, in stoppage time, Paulinho turned in Erik Lamela's cross for his first Spurs goal.

"Today it was different from normal in that there was justice in football. We created so many chances that there could only be one winner," said Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas.

"Bearing in mind the win they got against Man City there won't be many teams getting points here so I'm happy."

Sunday's other Premier League match saw Swansea win 2-0 away to Crystal Palace with Michu putting the Welsh club in front in just the second minute before Nathan Dyer added a second goal shortly after half-time.

© (C) 20123 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

7 Comments
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What went wrong Man Utd? No expert analysis from the resident Man Utd fan boys today? Looks like many of them will be supporting another team if this continues, maybe Arsenal, they are top of the league currently.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Coping with a Monday morning and lack of sleep after a disasterous match, that's what. What went wrong? A lot. First and foremost, Van Persie missing his first match in over 90. Players like Young and Welbeck playing 90+ to no effect (while poor Rooney playing his heart out on his own to no avail pretty much as a de facto one-top with no support from the two aforementioned sandbags). And the worst, Moyes sending in a back-up midfielder like Cleverely in when we're down four-nil, and not using the remaining two subs when we had Kagawa, Chicharito, and Nani warming the bench. BUT, I'll be the first to admit that City was on fire yesterday and was by far the better side. Hands down. In many ways this match was more painful to watch than when City beat us 1-6 at Old Trafford two Octobers ago. But falseflagsteve, really, we're only five matches into the season. I'm still fully confident that we'll be the cause of much dissappointment on your part come next May. That's why you should cherish days like this while you can. Enjoy!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I'm not dissapointed when ny team wins except when they are playing the team i support. I do enjoy the excuses though for the crappy perfomance of the "celeb" filled team, nyuk,nyuk,nyuk.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Man United not good enough. After doing next to nothing in the summer transfer window, I thought it would be a fight between City and Chelsea with United third. If van Persie doesn't stay fit, United could struggle to make top 4 on that showing.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Its been inevitable that a major decline would happen at United, and only Ferguson's genius delayed it a couple of years. Before being financially crippled by the Glazers debts, united could always buy their number one targets. Although people mention the home-grown players like Scholes and Giggs, success was more down to major signings from Keane, to Van Nistelrooy and Rooney, Ferdinand etc, even Carrick. If it wasn't for paying off Glazer debt, United could have easily paid in cash for Bale and Ozil this summer...

So I feel sorry for Moyes, working with the likes of Young, Cleverley, Valencia, etc. Going forward, a better class of player is required to compete with a team like City who are signing world class players every year.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Many on the Man U websites are wondering if Moyes is the right man for the job. His substitutions ( or lack of them ) were baffling and he's taken one point from games against Chelsea, Liverpool and City. United's lack of quality in midfield was the issue for me along with flat-footed defending ( Ferdinand is finished - Vidic gave him a few nasty glares in that game ). One poster wondered how a team which has struggled to make the CL managed to sign a world-class act like Ozil while the reigning champions bought the decent but hardly world-class Fellaini. Perhaps Davestrousers answered that one but with Scholes gone, Giggs another year older and the underrated Fletcher sadly unable to do what he did, it's not hard to see why City bossed the game from midfield.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@falseflagsteve: No expert analysis from me other than that they were completely out played.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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