Kompany's Goal Pushes City To The Summit

United spurned the chance to all but seal a 20th league title with victory against neighbours Manchester City on Monday night.

Instead, a goal on the stroke of half-time by Vincent Kompany handed the Blues three points and the advantage in this thrilling title race.

Now, with just two games to play, both sides are level on 83 points. But City boast a vastly superior goal difference and are hot favourites to collect a first league title since 1968.

Nothing's decided yet, mind you. Roberto Mancini's men still face a tricky trip to Newcastle next weekend before welcoming relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers to the Etihad on the final day of the season.

Judging by the scenes at the final whistle on Monday night, though, City fans are convinced their long wait for domestic supremacy is over. They certainly won this battle at the Etihad, as United struggled to create any clear-cut chances.

Of course, played under the spectre of “the biggest Manchester derby ever”, the match was always in danger of drowning in its own hype. In fairness, though, while there have been many more entertaining meetings between the sides in recent years – the 4-3 at Old Trafford, anyone? - this contest served up its fair share of drama, including a tense final 10 minutes and a touchline spat between the two managers.

Sir Alex's team selection was the first big surprise of the night, with his decision to make four changes to the side that drew 4-4 against Everton eight days earlier raising plenty of eyebrows.

In came Chris Smalling and Phil Jones (for the injured Jonny Evans and Rafael), while Ji-sung Park was handed his first league start since January and deployed in the centre of midfield alongside Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes. Ryan Giggs started on the left flank, while Nani was given the nod ahead of Antonio Valencia on the right.

The Reds' 4-5-1 formation – with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker – hinted at a cautious, containing approach from the visitors and yet it was United who asked the first questions as Patrice Evra won a corner within a minute and Carrick's hooked effort was blocked on the way to goal.

United continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession in the opening exchanges but the attacking limitations of the Reds' formation became obvious when Rooney, released by a lovely through-ball from Carrick, was forced to hold the ball up instead of delivering a cross into a penalty area devoid of red shirts.

City soon gained a foothold in the game, although it took until the 16th minute for the Blues to work their way in behind United's defence. And when Samir Nasri did thread a pass through to Carlos Tevez, the Argentine's low cross was well cut out by Jones.

Sergio Aguero then volleyed over on 25 minutes at what proved to be the beginning of a spell in which the Blues appeared almost to set up camp in the final third. Only dogged United defending – epitomised by Rio Ferdinand's body-on-the-line block to deny Aguero 10 minutes before the interval – prevented the home side from taking the lead.

United's firecracker start had been reduced to a flickering ember by the time fourth offical Mike Jones raised his board to indicate two minutes' added time at the end of the first half. And it was extinguished entirely just seconds later when Vincent Kompany rose to head home David Silva's right-wing corner-kick – City's sixth corner of the game – to give the Blues the lead. It would later prove decisive.

The goal had been coming, sure. But to concede with so little time remaining in the first half seemed to compound the blow. Still, there were no panic substitutions at the break and United began the second period in positive fashion.

A succession of corners failed to yield a clear-cut chance, though, and Sir Alex switched to 4-4-2 just before the hour mark. Park was sacrificed for Danny Welbeck to provide United with more attacking impetus, but it was City who almost scored a second when Yaya Toure drilled a ball across the six-yard box and De Gea was forced to clear with his feet.

Welbeck's introduction succeeded in briefly penning City back and, sure enough, Mancini even withdrew one of his strikers (Tevez) and sent on a defensive midfielder (Nigel De Jong) in response. After gaining the upper hand, the Blues weren't going to relinquish it without a fight.

A loose pass by Rio Ferdinand on the halfway line allowed Toure to advance and shoot, but the Ivory Coast midfielder's effort flew past the post. Chris Smalling then produced a brave block to deny Carlos Tevez before a clumsy De Jong tackle prompted ugly scenes on the touchline where Mancini and Ferguson had to be separated.

The incident proved just how high emotions run in this fixture and served as a reminder of exactly what's at stake. A championship, that's what. And unless City now slip up in either of their next two fixtures, the Reds will surely be left to rue recent results and what might have been. If there's one thing Manchester United have taught us down the years, though, it's never to give up.