MANCHESTER, May 1: With one thumping header, Vincent Kompany may well have tilted the balance of football power in Manchester from red to blue.
The Belgian defender rose unmarked just before half-time at the Etihad Stadium to give Manchester City a 1-0 win over bitter rivals Manchester United on Monday and put his team in position to secure a first Premier League title in 44 years.
In what had been billed as the biggest Manchester derby ever, the City captain provided one of the game’s few memorable moments — aside from a touchline dustup between Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini — when he towered above Manchester United defender Chris Smalling to meet David Silva’s in-swinging corner and send his header past goalkeeper David de Gea to settle an at times ill-tempered duel which was beamed to a worldwide audience estimated in the hundreds of millions.
It was the simplest of winning goals and came after a brief lapse of concentration from the United defense, but it could have long-lasting repercussions in Manchester — and English football in general.A Premier League title that looked to be firmly in United’s grasp just two weeks ago is now again City’s to lose. City lead their cross-town rivals on goal difference with just two rounds remaining, having trailed by eight points earlier this month.
After spending decades in the shadows of its more successful neighbours, City’s newfound wealth under Abu Dhabi ownership may finally be on the verge of producing the result that fans have been longing for.
Reigning champions United, thumped 6-1 at home by City earlier in the season, were disappointing and could not avert a rare “double” by their ‘noisy’ neighbours.
“Absolutely buzzing ... We’ve been waiting for this moment,” Kompany said in the tunnel as celebratory songs from City’s fans echoed into the Manchester night.
“It’s far from over, and we know that, but just to give our fans two wins over Manchester United this season — we have to finish it off.”Victories over Newcastle and Queens Park Rangers in their remaining games will almost certainly see City claim a first top flight title since 1968 while United would finish the season without a trophy.
City and United have been going toe-to-toe atop the league table all season, a struggle that culminated in Ferguson and Mancini going face to face during Monday’s game.
As the clock started running out on United’s attempts at a fightback, Ferguson became incensed by City midfielder Nigel De Jong’s clumsy tackle on Danny Welbeck, and ended up in a shouting match with Mancini on the touchline.
With both managers making hand gestures to suggest that the other should stop talking, Ferguson eventually had to be dragged back to his own technical area, while City’s assistant coach David Platt restrained Mancini.
“Mancini was badgering the ref and the fourth official all game. He was complaining about refs all week, but he can’t complain about this one,” Ferguson told the BBC.
“I can’t complain about the result, they were more of a threat from counter-attacks. It was a damaging result, they are in the driving seat and we are up against it. They only need to win two more games and they win the league, simple as that.”
United had just two shots on target, hardly forcing City goalkeeper Joe Hart into a save, and Mancini brushed off the spat and said his side were deserved winners.
“We are happy but next Sunday we have another difficult game (at Newcastle),” he said. “But we deserved to win this game, we had other chances for a second goal and they did not have any chances to score.”
A crackling atmosphere greeted the players as the sun set in Manchester. A scrappy first-half saw City dominate possession and territory but struggle to create clear chances against a United side who had flooded midfield with five men, leaving Wayne Rooney as the lone striker.
Sergio Aguero — watched from an executive box by his father-in-law Diego Maradona — had the best early chance, volleying wide from an angle in the 25th.
The visitors would have been happy to hear the halftime whistle on level terms but Kompany, sent off when the sides met in the FA Cup this season, chose the perfect time to score to send Maradona and the rest of the City fans into delirium.
The second-half saw City again control possession with Yaya Toure almost giving his side breathing space with a shot that whistled wide.
Ferguson then threw on Welbeck and Ashley Young to bolster United’s attack but City held firm to spark a deafening rendition of the club anthem Blue Moon.—Agencies