Man City 2 Man United 1: Fired-up Carlos Tevez has final say as United are silenced by their old boy
Sir Alex Ferguson must feel those noisy neighbours are really starting to push their luck.
First they have the temerity to tell Manchester United
to tone it down. Then they complain that they cannot hear them. And now
they intend to come round next week and try to stop his boys making
another visit to Wembley.
Much to Ferguson’s very obvious
disappointment, it was Carlos Tevez who did all the talking. Tevez who
silenced Wayne Rooney, told Gary Neville to belt up and then ran in
front of the dug-out and made what looked like a gesture to the same
United directors who allowed him to cross the city to Eastlands.
‘Fergie, Fergie sign him up,’ United’s supporters used to sing. Last night City’s supporters delivered their very own version.
It did amount to a wonderful piece of theatre, not least when Tevez
converted the rather dubious penalty that dragged Roberto Mancini’s
side back into this most intriguing Carling Cup semi-final.
On the spot: Tevez fires City level with a thumping penalty
Furious that it had even been awarded for what looked like a foul
outside the 18-yard box, United did everything they could to unnerve
their former colleague. Edwin van der Sar wasted so much time he was
booked and Rooney appeared to bark abuse at him as he made his run-up,
but Tevez ignored them before nervelessly blasting the ball into the
roof of the United net.
It was a terrific penalty, the perfect riposte, and it gave him the
opportunity to respond to comments he must have read, or at least heard
about, yesterday.
Neville had publicly supported his manager’s decision in refusing to
pay the money required to keep the diminutive Argentine at Old Trafford
and Tevez replied by running to the touchline and telling the Old
Trafford skipper, among the substitutes last night, exactly what he
thought. ‘You’re all mouth,’ seemed to be the message. Neville appeared
to flick an angry response.
Tevez was not finished, though. Not by a long way. Having cancelled
out a 17th minute opener from Ryan Giggs, he then made United really
pay. A second goal in the 66th minute, and with it not only the
advantage but the opportunity to dish out some more. On this occasion
to his old paymasters.
A cupping of the hands suggested he still could not hear them, just
as he couldn’t when he made the exact same gesture after scoring for
United against City at Old Trafford last season.
Loud and clear: Tevez turns to the travelling
United fans with a clear message after scoring his second for City in
front of an ecstatic Eastlands crowd
It must have been more than a little perplexing for Mancini. It had
nothing to do with him after all. But what a way to finish what he must
hope will be the first of many such encounters. ‘Welcome to
CorrespondentManchester, Roberto.’ It could have been a personal
message from Tevez.
The advantage is with City. Not by much when the away goal United
scored could yet prove decisive if the scores are level at the end of
extra time next week. But it is an advantage Mancini should be content
with after rather bullishly declaring that City could soon supersede
United as the biggest club in Manchester.
Old Trafford should prepare for another classic contest. A contest
that could yet rival that seven-goal thriller in September Ferguson
considers the greatest Manchester derby in history.
For both sides so much is at stake. For City a real chance to go to
Wembley and end their 34-year wait for a trophy. For United the
bragging rights they appear to consider more important than the
competition itself.
When United reached the final last season, Ferguson played a mixture of reserves and first-team regulars and so allowed players
like Ben Foster to taste a bit of success. But last night he selected
the strongest side he possibly could, albeit a side missing key players
like Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Dimitar Berbatov.
Two good: Tevez heads City in front at Eastlands
Their injury problems did not compare to City’s however, even if
there were players on the bench Mancini could have chosen ahead of
Pablo Zabaleta. The full back was asked to occupy a more central role
that sometimes added strength to City’s midfield and sometimes saw him
act as a foil to Tevez, and the fact that he was even asked to do it
revealed how little City’s manager must think of Robinho.
For Mancini, though, the headaches did not end there. No
centre-halves meant he had to select a youngster in Dedryck Boyata
alongside a midfielder in Vincent Kompany and a lack of experience soon
proved costly.
If Antonio Valencia did well to muscle his way past Craig Bellamy
and deliver a low cross in the 17th minute, City’s back four really
should have done better in dealing with the danger. As it was, Rooney
met the ball virtually unopposed and, when Shay Given parried, it was
Giggs who was there to strike from close range.
Ferguson could not hide his delight, immediately springing to his feet and throwing up his arms in celebration.
Delight: Tevez celebrates after putting City in front in the semi-final first leg
But the sense of elation did not last long. Not when City were as
quick as they were in applying the pressure on a United defence also
weakened by injury. Tevez probably should have scored when Shaun
Wright-Phillips sent in a teasing cross, but he drove his header into
the ground and wide.
De Jong went closer with a blstering effort in the 37th minute that forced a fine save from Edwin van der
Sar, but when Mike Dean awarded what appeared to be a rather dubious
penalty in the 41st minute City drew level.
Rafael Da Silva certainly looked unlucky. Dean tried to tell
United’s players that Da Silva had tugged Bellamy’s shirt not once but
twice but television replays suggested both fouls were committed
outside the area.
It mattered not to Tevez, of course. He ignored Van der Sar’s
unsporting conduct and what seemed to be a few choice words from Rooney
and hit the ball as hard and as straight as he possibly could. Van der
Sar dived to his left. Bad call.
Perfect start: Ryan Giggs put United in front early on
It made for a wonderful second half. Micah Richards saw an effort
cleared off the line by Evra and then Giggs threatened with a header.
But when Zabaleta seized on United’s failure to clear a corner and
Kompany met his colleague’s header with a ball into the six-yard box,
it was Tevez who pounced and then ran to the dug-out.
Other opportunities followed. For Michael Owen, on as a substitute,
and Valencia; for Wright-Phillips, too. But this was Tevez’s night and
a night when he finally had his say.
