Wayne Rooney
For almost a year now, there have been question marks about Rooney’s form and commitment. He had to silence the critics, shut them up once and for all. He could have chosen no better match to do it in and could have done it in no better way.
United went into the derby five points ahead of their city rivals and a loss here would have reduced that to two and reopened the title race. Ferguson paid no respect to current form by leaving Berbatov on the bench and starting with Rooney as the lone man up front. Injuries continued to keep Ferdinand and Rafael out of the team which meant Smalling and O’Shea got an extended run.
But it was City who almost took the lead after three minutes. Tevez and Silva combined and the Spaniard found himself free inside the box but he poked his shot just wide. It was all City for the first half an hour, but United survived. The home team got their first shot on target when Fletcher headed Giggs’ cross but it went straight to Joe Hart. Hart made another easy save as Nani shot from distance. The game was beginning to explode into life as Evra survived an appeal for handball. The deadlock was finally broken in the 41st minute. The omnipotent Giggs found Nani with a cutting pass, who took one touch to receive it, one to steady and shot past the keeper with his third touch. United 1 City 0.
Mancini brought on Wright Phillips and Dzeko as City looked to equalize. This finally paid off in the 65th minute when Dzeko’s shot off a Wright Phillips cross cannoned off the back of David Silva into the back of the net. 1-1. Game on!
City were on a rampage with Dzeko causing the United defence a lot of problems. But this was destined to be Rooney’s day! Nani’s cross from the right wing deflected off Zabaleta and looped high into the penalty area. Rooney launched himself high into the air before spectacularly connecting an overhead kick that went into the top corner as Hart stood rooted to his spot. United 2 City 1. City were stunned. The boy wonder had done it again!
Tags: England, English Premier League, EPL, Football, Manchester City, Manchester derby, Manchester United, Premier League, Wayne Rooney, Wonder Goal
