Man Utd 4-3 Man City
20.09.2009
09.20.2009
Sir Alex Ferguson hailed his side's 4-3 win over Manchester City as one of the best derbies of all time.
Three times United edged in front in the clash but every time City came back until the champions delivered a knock-out blow deep into stoppage time when Michael Owen slotted home the winner.
United had led as early as the second minute when Wayne Rooney capitalised on some sloppy City defending but the visitors were gifted an equaliser when Gareth Barry made sure United goalkeeper Ben Foster was made to pay for allowing Carlos Tevez to rob him of possession soon after.
Darren Fletcher headed United into the lead four minutes into the second half only for Craig Bellamy to fire another equaliser. Fletcher thought he had won it when he headed home again 10 minutes from time but Bellamy responded once more as he made Rio Ferdinand pay for a slack pass in the 90th minute.
However United benefitted in the sixth minute of added on time - when only four were signalled - but Ferguson was left cursing his side's defensive lapses.
"What can you say. We have thrown three goals away at them," he told Sky Sports News.
Embarrassment
"It could have been an embarrassment today. It could have been six or 7-0 if we had defended our proper way, our normal way, we could have won by a big score today.
"But by making mistakes was an essence of the game it became the best derby game of all time. So what do you choose? One of the best derby games of all time or win 6-0?"
Ferguson also praised match-winner Owen after he came on to replace Dimitar Berbatov with just 12 minutes remaining.
"To be fair to him we have noticed in the last two weeks he has adjusted to the training, he has become sharper, his focus is really good in terms of the intensity of the training and he has got better and better," he added.
Sharpness
"Even when he came on, on Tuesday night over in Besiktas he showed that sharpness and we said we were going to have to give him game time because he has been very, very sharp in training.
"But I just felt the game was going to be in their box in the last 20 minutes, you could just sense that, and there is no one better than Michael Owen."
Meanwhile the United boss refused to pile individual blame on Rio Ferdinand after his mistake let in Bellamy for what seemed to have earned City an undeserved point.
"I'm sure he is (relieved). We did make terrible mistakes for their three goals but you cannot just blame Rio, it's a collective thing at this club," he declared.
