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EPL Review: Manchester United thump City at home

Manchester United showed City exactly who's boss in Manchester, when the Red Devils thumped City 4-2 at Old Trafford.

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Over a period of two years, spanning four clashes between these two sides, Manchester City have been the dominant side winning all four of those clashes. But this past Sunday, 20-time champions Manchester United showed City who's boss when they thumped their city rivals, 4-2 at Old Trafford, and ensured that Manchester was finally red again. 

The atmosphere around Old Trafford was electric with both sets of fans firmly behind their team to win this crucial clash to determine the race for the top 4. But it was the City fans who had the louder voices as their team dominated the match with their attacking style of play during the open ten minutes. City were rewarded for their fluency in attack when Sergio Aguero scored the opening goal of the match in the seventh minute, when David Silva found space in the wing and neatly crossed the ball into Aguero's feet who had the easiest task of pushing the ball into the net. 

City's early goal put United on the back foot as the United players showed signs of nervousness when they gave away possession over the ball rather easily. In an incredible turn of events, Phil Jones' weak backpass to David de Gea along the rain-soaked pitch was quickly chased down by City's Jesus Navas but a charging De Gea was able to clear the ball away out of his reach. De Gea's clearance oddly found Marouane Fellaini's head, who headed the ball into Ander Herrera's path. Herrera found space along the left flank and provided a pin-point cross into the feet of Ashley Young in the six yard area. Young's first glancing attempt on goal was superbly saved by City's lunging Gael Clichy, but the ball fell kindly for the United winger who turned the ball into the back of the net and lifted the roof off Old Trafford.

The match quickly turned in United's favour, as they began enjoying most of the possession. Juan Mata was the main man dictating terms in the United midfield, and found Young on the left flank. Young quickly ran down the flank and flicked the ball into the path of an overlapping Daley Blind who found space but was quickly closed down by the City defenders. Blind quickly passed the ball back to Young who found space at the edge of the box and sent in a looming cross towards the far post that found the head of Fellaini. Fellaini, who has been in excellent form off late for United, had no problem in powerfully steering the cross into City goalkeeper Joe Hart's net and give United the lead in the 27th minute.

City were lucky to continue the match with 11 men, when skipper Vincent Kompany lunged into Blind with his studs up and caught the United full back's ankle. Referee Mark Clattenberg and his linesmen didn't have a clear view of the situation and gave Kompany a yellow card instead of a red.

United kept attacking and almost had a third goal, but Fellaini just couldn't steer the ball this time like he did earlier, and instead fouled Zabaleta in his attempt to win the ball.

Fellaini's attempt turned out to be the last piece of action before the break as United went into the break with a 2-1 lead.

Both teams started the second half rather slowly, with the first piece of action coming in the 51st minute when City's Navas brought down Mata in a dangerous area. United skipper Wayne Rooney who had a rather quiet day for United, almost turned the free-kick into the top corner but the attempt was firmly saved by a diving Joe Hart.

United kept pressing the City defence but could not find the finishing touch. City's defensive woes that have haunted them all season, saw them go from bad to worse when Martin Demichelis gave the ball away to United full back Blind who quickly passed the ball to Rooney. Rooney who found space in the attacking half, found Mata in acres of space. Rooney's pass put Mata one on one with City's Joe Hart, but the ever so calm Juan Mata coolly put the ball through Hart's feet into the back of the net and Old Trafford's Stretford End berserk. United extended their lead to 3-1 thanks to Mata's goal.

The Red Devils weren't done yet. Ashley Young's freekick found the head of Chris Smalling, who was sent off in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season, increased United's lead to 4-1 in the 72nd minute. Michael Carrick who had been instrumental throughout the match in the middle of the park had to go off the field due to an injury he suffered in the 87th minute. His departure meant that United would have to continue the match with 10 men since they already used all three of their substitutes.

Consequently, City were able to reduce their goal deficit to two when Sergio Aguero pulled one back for the not so "noisy neighbours" and reached a personal milestone of a 100 goals for Manchester City, in the 88th minute of the match.

United's sweet victory over their Manchester rivals, meant that the gap between the two teams increased to five points. The result ensured that United kept up the pace with second placed Arsenal in the race for the top 2 in the Premier League table.

Sunday's morale boosting victory provided United with the perfect momentum ahead of the crucial away clash to Champions elect Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea who narrowly won their against QPR at Loftus Road, prior to the Manchester derby, will be wary of a resurgent United who are now on the back of six consecutive victories in the Premier League.  

 

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