The weekend couldn’t have gone any better for United, their prayers were answered as they got a much needed win over their noisy neighbors.

Be careful what you wish for. City boss, Roberto Mancini, learned this the hard way. Mancini had had voiced his desire over Rooney’s participation in the derby, and he got what he asked for. Rooney was fit to start and certainly made his presence known.

I liked Uniteds line up, it was their very effective 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, whatever you want to call it, it works. Sir Alex can rotate the three center midfielders, as long as it’s Scholes, Fletcher, Carrick, or Gibson, and it works. You can add Anderson and Hargreaves to the list of players he can rotate into those positions, when they are fit. On the wings Nani, Valencia, Giggs, and Park are interchangeable. On defense we can always count on the left back and at least one of the center backs. The point is, This is the best line-up for United, period.

City started about as strong as they could have, I think City would have been better off with Wright-Philips or Ireland at right wing, instead of Adam Johnson, but oh well.

United were the first to create an opportunity, only 4 minutes in Fletcher would have a decent effort from 20 yards out that went just wide of the goal.

City’s only real opportunity in the first half came from Carlitos Tevez, when he hit a free kick from 28 yards out. But Van der Sar read it and made a very comfortable save, as he held on to it.

5 minutes before the half, Rooney created a great chance, a shot he would’ve converted nine times out of ten. Valencia drew two defenders, and then headed it on to Rooney, who instead of going on to it directly and attempting the shot. He let it run across his body for a left footed shot, a move that sent the City defender flying across, but hit it wide of the post, one of those chances you would love to get back.

Both sides level at the half.

We would have to wait until the hour mark for the first chance of the half, it came from City as Tevez fed Bellamy on the wing, but instead of bringing it in, the Welshman cuts his angle off by continuing to dribble down the line and hitting it with his left foot well wide of the goal.

15 minutes later City would appeal for a penalty as Barry is taken down by Neville in the box. But a second look at the replay, and you could see Barry goes down far too easily. While at the other end Giggs was given a great chance, but didn’t time it right. He should not have let the ball bounce a second time, it allowed Given to pounce on it and maybe cause it was on Giggsy’s right foot, but a Valencia or a Nani, would have finished that.

United were very lucky not to concede a goal in the 85th minute, when a Bellamy corner forced Van der Sar off his line and into a position where he was completely beat, not only was he in mans land, he decided to have a seat and watch as his team scrambled to clear the ball off their line.

Then when everyone had accepted the nil-nil result, United would again grab a late winner, as Paul Scholes, one of Uniteds most decorated players, received a great ball from Evra, but this was all Scholesy. A wonderful finish, as he directs the ball perfectly with his head, something not very easily done, and easily one of Uniteds best goals of the season, both for skill and significance.

Chelsea is still in the driver seat but much to my surprise United are back in the title race. I probably shouldn’t have counted them out so early, there are three games left and anything can happen.

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