Mancini wins tactical battle in Manchester derby

Managers Roberto Mancini and Alex Ferguson appeared to want to settle a compelling Premier League title race with fisticuffs in the technical area in the second half as passions ran high in the Manchester derby on Monday. 

City's Mancini did not back down as Ferguson delivered some Glasgow invective in his direction after tempers became frayed with the feisty Scotsman's side looking desperate at 1-0 down, much like his team in recent weeks. 

Ferguson blamed Mancini for the touchline spat, accusing the Italian of "badgering" the officials, while his opposite number put it down to the "tension" of the occasion after his side had taken the spoils with a Vincent Kompany goal. 

Click to read Kompany sinks Man Utd's title hopes

After handshakes were offered and accepted and the dust settled, however, it was Mancini who clearly won the tactical battle against arguably Britain's greatest ever manager.     

City, eight points adrift after the Easter fixtures having been in charge for so long, seemed to have had their title dreams shattered but they have dragged themselves back to the summit on goal difference with two games remaining and are within sight of a first title since 1968. 

United, bidding for a record 20th English crown, have stumbled, losing at Wigan Athletic and then throwing away a 4-2 lead against Everton last weekend. 

They still boasted a three-point lead before kickoff on Monday but were strangely subdued and barely tested City's England keeper Joe Hart as the team Ferguson once labelled the "noisy neighbours" seized the title initiative with a priceless 1-0 victory to seal a league double over their arch rivals. 

Mancini expressed some surprise at United's cautious approach although admitting the job was far from complete. 

"It's a great victory but we have two difficult games left and United have two easy games," said Mancini, whose side face fifth-placed Newcastle United this weekend before a final home game against strugglers Queens Park Rangers. 

"United are still favourites. (United's opponents) Swansea and Sunderland have nothing to play for. I am very happy that we are top but it doesn't change anything. 

"United put all their players behind the ball and only one striker. They wanted the draw. They played a different game to usual. We deserved to win." 
 
Ferguson, who began with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker, said his side underperformed and the title was now in City's hands. 

"It was feisty and competitive as we expected and there were not a lot of goal chances," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "David de Gea only had one save to make but I'm disappointed we never tested their goalkeeper to be honest. 

"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. 

"It's not over yet, of course it's not over, there is still football to play. But the situation is that they have an eight goal advantage which is a big advantage at this stage." 

After a bright start United played second fiddle as City upped the tempo and began to dominate possession with former United striker Carlos Tevez driving his side forward. 

United would have been happy to reach halftime at 0-0 but City captain Kompany produced a thumping header a minute before the break to put his side in control. 

"If you let in a goal from a set piece at this level of football you only have yourselves to blame," Ferguson said. 

"It was a bad time to concede because there was nothing happening in the game. They had lots of the ball around the box without doing anything then they get a corner kick and score."

FACTBOX

* If United win their next two games they could end up on 89 points and finish second on goal difference. Only once in top flight history (all wins recalculated to three points), were 89 points not enough to win the title (91 points for Leeds United in 1970/1971). The most points without winning a title in the Premier League era (since 1992-93) is 88 by Manchester United in 1994/1995. That, however, was a 42-match season. When only looking at 38-match seasons in the Premier League era, the 86 points by Liverpool in 2008/2009 is the most for non-champions. 

* The last time an English top flight season was decided on goal difference was before the Premier League era when Arsenal pipped Liverpool in 1988/1989. 

* Vincent Kompany's winner on Monday made him the first Belgian to score in a Premier League Manchester derby. 

* City have been at least level at halftime in 35 of their 36 league matches this season. They were trailing once, at home against Sunderland (2-1) and that eventually finished in a 3-3 draw. From their 18 halftime leads this season, City have converted 17 into wins (the exception being a 2-2 draw with Fulham on September 18). 

* The only sides that have won the title since the 2001/2002 season, when Liverpool were strongest at home and Arsenal won the championship, are those that have shown the best home form. This season City have been the most successful at home. 

* No Italian player has claimed a Premier League winners' medal. Federico Macheda's seven league matches for United last season were not enough as only players with at least 10 appearances are eligible for a medal. Mario Balotelli could become the first if City clinch the title. 

* Only three players have won the Premier League with different teams: Henning Berg (Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United), Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole (both with Arsenal and Chelsea). If City win the title, three others will join the list: Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure and Carlos Tevez. Tevez would become the first to win it with both Manchester clubs. 

English Premier League

Results
Manchester City      1 Manchester United       0   
Sunday
Chelsea              6 Queens Park Rangers     1   
Tottenham Hotspur    2 Blackburn Rovers        0   
Saturday
Everton              4 Fulham                  0   
Norwich City         0 Liverpool               3   
Stoke City           1 Arsenal                 1   
Sunderland           2 Bolton Wanderers        2   
Swansea City         4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4   
West Bromwich Albion 0 Aston Villa             0   
Wigan Athletic       4 Newcastle United        0  

Standings               P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts  
1   Manchester City         36 26 5  5  88 27 83   
2   Manchester United       36 26 5  5  86 33 83   
3   Arsenal                 36 20 6  10 68 44 66   
4   Tottenham Hotspur       35 18 8  9  59 39 62   
5   Newcastle United        35 18 8  9  53 46 62   
6   Chelsea                 35 17 10 8  62 39 61   
7   Everton                 35 14 9  12 46 38 51   
8   Liverpool               35 13 10 12 43 37 49   
9   Fulham                  35 12 10 13 45 48 46   
10  West Bromwich Albion    36 13 7  16 41 47 46   
11  Sunderland              36 11 12 13 44 43 45   
12  Swansea City            36 11 11 14 43 49 44   
13  Norwich City            36 11 10 15 47 63 43   
14  Stoke City              35 11 10 14 33 49 43   
15  Aston Villa             36 7  16 13 36 50 37   
16  Wigan Athletic          36 9  10 17 38 60 37   
17  Queens Park Rangers     36 9  7  20 40 63 34   
18  Bolton Wanderers        35 10 4  21 41 69 34   
19  Blackburn Rovers        36 8  7  21 47 75 31   
R20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 36 5  9  22 38 79 24   
R - Relegated                                              
1-3:   Champions League / EC I             
4:     Champions League preliminary round  
5-6:   Europa League                       
18-20: Relegation                         
 

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