Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United

What a day that was, it could have hardly gone any better could it. I think we just about deserved to win the game, though once again we struggled to create the amount of chances you would normally associate with a United team. City managed to live down to my expectations and it will be interesting to see, if they did manage to come fourth and qualify for the champions league if they keep faith with Mancini. United were hardly the dynamic force they have been over previous seasons but City are so ponderous and one dimensional it's untrue. The only time they really got into the game was during the last ten minutes when United, with nothing to lose starting throwing men forward. I am still not sure whether Mancini was happy with the draw from the outset or not.
Once again Fergie stuck with the class of 92 with Neville, Giggs and Scholes all starting. The only surprise, bar the inclusion of Rooney who was obviously not 100% fully fit was the decision to play Giggs on the left instead of Nani and the inclusion of Gibson. Whilst i would have liked to have seen Nani start, the up side of having him on the bench was at least we had someone on the bench who could come on and make an impact.
United started well controlling the ball with City once again just dropping deep and conceeding the majority of possession to United as they have done in every game they have played against United under Mancini. The best early chance fell to Fletcher whose shot from outside the box beat Given but also went just the wrong side of the post. Rooney was hardly able to get in the match, but when he did it spelt danger for City as he once too advantage of a slip from Kompany but couldn't find his man in the box, disappointingly.
The best chance of the half fell to Rooney just before half time as he turned Valencia's pass into a shooting opportunity but he didn't hit the target. It looked as though it was a risk to play Rooney again as he didn't seem fully fit. It will be interesting to see how fit he is next week against Spurs as after yesterday's games it looks like next Staurday's game against Spurs will be a harder affair than yesterday was.
Unfortunately the second half followed a similar script as last weeks trip to Ewood park as United pressed for the all important goal and monoploised the possession but never really looked like getting it. The game opened up inthe last ten minutes and City did have a couple of opportunities as United threw men forward. But our back four seemed to have found a bit of form with Evans and especially Vidic outstanding. They kept Tevez quiet and Adebayor was his usual annonymous self when the big games arrive. As we enetered the third minute of injury time it looked like it was going to be another one of those days as the title race looked to be finally gone. And then up popped the ginger prince, easily the best player on the pitch to send us wild with delight.
To think of some of the comments on the messageboards when it was announced the day earlier that he had signed a new one year contract. He may not be quite the player he was, but he is still good enough to play for Manchester United. I don't get the argument that the game is too fast for him that is sometimes bandied around. He never had any pace anyway, he needs quality players playing well aroung him. And over recent weeks that is what has been lacking. He has been one of our better players, it's been the woeful Carrick, the tired Fletcher and the not good enough Park and Gibson who have not pulled thir weight.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the Spurs rentboys match, i though Spurs were a touch fotunate to beat Arsenal in midweek. But Chelsea hadn't played well against Bolton so with Tottenham needing to win and having seen us beat City at least there was hope. So for them to win 2-1 and to see Terry get his marching orders was the icing on the cake. If we beat them next week, and that is a big if, then unbelievably i think we will have a great chance of winning it as i'm not sure Chelski's bottle is going to hold out.
When i said we had blown the title against Blackburn i couldn't see any way we would get back into the title race. The title was Chelsea's to lose and if we do go on to regain the title, Chelsea will surely have some rethinking to do because they should have walked the title this season.

Daniel Taylor describes why United's habit of scoring late late winners is no fluke.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/apr/18/manchester-united-city-scholes

Richard Williams salutes the golden generation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/apr/17/manchester-united-survivors-golden-generation

Henry Winter frustrates the two Italian coaches present at the boo camp yesterday reports Henry Winter
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7602060/Masterful-Paul-Scholes-still-running-the-showFootball.html

Hicks 2not living in the real world", as he is reported as valuing Liverpool at £800 million
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/7602072/Tom-Hicks-wants-800-million-for-Liverpool.html

Gerard Pique, definitely the one that got away.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article7100754.ece
I always rated him and thought he was going to be a top player. But as Arsenal will eventually find out with Fabregas, there is no point in tempting talented young Catalans away from Barcas eventually they will want to go back home.

Cleggmania spreads across Britain, a touch over the top, me thinks.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cleggmania-spreads-across-britain-1947687.html

Martin Kettle writes that todays polls if reproduced on election day will produce a constitutional crisis, bring it on.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/apr/17/1

Goldman Scahs in trouble as the US securities and exchange commision go after them
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/stephen-foley-sharks-turn-on-wall-streets-vampire-squid-1947312.html
Will Huton on the scandal of bakers using money to make money
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/18/goldman-sachs-regulators-civil-charges

Felix da housecat