UNITED WINS DERBY: Michael Owen (right) celebrates with Wayne Rooney after scoring the winning goal while former United striker Carlos Tevez looks on. (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
The winner triggered off a hive of emotion in the stadium with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson breaking into a dance along the touch line. Manchester City manager Mark Hughes was left fuming, asking for a response from the referee for a goal scored well after the four minutes of allotted extra time had expired.
Carlos Tevez, back from injury, faced United for the first time after his acrimonious exit.
Wayne Rooney put the home team one up in the second minute. Shortly thereafter, Tevez was quick to capitalize on a defensive slip by United goalkeeper Ben Foster. Tevez passed to Gareth Barry who scored the equalizer.
Darren Fletcher put United in front again with a header and then City replied again with a stunning 25-yard shot from Craig Bellamy.
United had the better of the possession using the full width of the pitch. City keeper Shay Given was at hand though, to deny Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov good scoring changes.
With ten minutes to go Fletcher looked to have sealed a win for United with another header. But a moment of indecisiveness from Rio Ferdinand gifted possession to Martin Petrov who put through Bellamy. The Welsh striker beat Foster and scored from a tight angle with a superb finish.
Craig Bellamy seemed to have a point in the bag for the visitors when he scored his second on the 90-minute mark to level the match at three.
The score line gives the impression that the match was very open but things were in fact quite tight and it was defensive errors which lead to more goals than usual.
With 13 minutes left in the match United boss Sir Alex Ferguson brought on Owen. United piled on the pressure and the break through came at the death. Giggs’s well weighted pass found a wide open Owen who won it for United.
Ferguson told the BBC: “The mistakes probably made it the best derby of all time.
“What would you rather have, a 6–0 win or the greatest derby of all time? I would prefer to win 6–0,” he added.
West Ham 2, Liverpool 3
Liverpool’s Fernando Torres struck twice to overcome the Hammers in a well fought match on Saturday.
Zavon Hines hit the woodwork for West Ham before Torres snatched the opener, but the home side benefited from a debatable penalty that Alessandro Diamanti dispatched while slipping.
Liverpool took the game to the home team in the second half and was rewarded when Ryan Babel broke forward and delivered to Torres who got his second.
Yossi Benayoun continued his good form playing against his old club, having a shot denied by keeper Robert Green.
West Ham manger Gianfranco Zola, who has now been at the club for one year, did not have too much to celebrate as he watched Matthew Upson and Valon Behrami limp off with injuries.
“We showed character and the team has confidence. Four wins in a row means that the team is in good shape,” said Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.
“I think they gave everything, I couldn’t ask any more. It was a close game, but when you play against good teams like them it is difficult,” said Zola.
“The difference was that in the second half we got tired and they took advantage. We are used to fighting against problems, so it’s no problem, we will be positive.”
Chelsea 3, Tottenham 0
Chelsea demolished London rival Tottenham, keeping their 100 percent winning run intact.
Jose Bosingwa hit the woodwork with a long blast before Ashley Cole put the Blues ahead with a low diving header.
Three minutes later, Michael Ballack made it two after a goal mouth scramble, and Drogba made it three with an impressive solo run.
Chelsea is alone in first place with 18 points, followed by Manchester United with 15. Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Tottenham all have 12 points. Arsenal sits in seventh place with nine points.
