Sir Alex Ferguson must feel those noisy neighbours are really
starting to push their luck.
First they have the temerity to tell Manchester United to tone
it down. Then they complain that they cannot hear them. And now
they intend to come round next week and try to stop his boys making
another visit to Wembley.
Much to Ferguson’s very obvious disappointment, it was Carlos
Tevez who did all the talking. Tevez who silenced Wayne Rooney,
told Gary Neville to belt up and then ran in front of the dug-out
and made what looked like a gesture to the same United directors
who allowed him to cross the city to Eastlands.
‘Fergie, Fergie sign him up,’ United’s supporters used to sing.
Last night City’s supporters delivered their very own version.
It did amount to a wonderful piece of theatre, not least when
Tevez converted the rather dubious penalty that dragged Roberto
Mancini’s side back into this most intriguing Carling Cup
semi-final.
On the spot: Tevez fires City level with a thumping
penalty
Furious that it had even been awarded for what looked like a
foul outside the 18-yard box, United did everything they could to
unnerve their former colleague. Edwin van der Sar wasted so much
time he was booked and Rooney appeared to bark abuse at him as he
made his run-up, but Tevez ignored them before nervelessly blasting
the ball into the roof of the United net.
It was a terrific penalty, the perfect riposte, and it gave him
the opportunity to respond to comments he must have read, or at
least heard about, yesterday.
Neville had publicly supported his manager’s decision in
refusing to pay the money required to keep the diminutive Argentine
at Old Trafford and Tevez replied by running to the touchline and
telling the Old Trafford skipper, among the substitutes last night,
exactly what he thought. ‘You’re all mouth,’ seemed to be the
message. Neville appeared to flick an angry response.
Tevez was not finished, though. Not by a long way. Having
cancelled out a 17th minute opener from Ryan Giggs, he then made
United really pay. A second goal in the 66th minute, and with it
not only the advantage but the opportunity to dish out some more.
On this occasion to his old paymasters.
A cupping of the hands suggested he still could not hear them,
just as he couldn’t when he made the exact same gesture after
scoring for United against City at Old Trafford last season.
Loud and clear: Tevez turns to the travelling United
fans with a clear message after scoring his second for City in
front of an ecstatic Eastlands crowd
It must have been more than a little perplexing for Mancini. It
had nothing to do with him after all. But what a way to finish what
he must hope will be the first of many such encounters. ‘Welcome to
CorrespondentManchester, Roberto.’ It could have been a personal
message from Tevez.
The advantage is with City. Not by much when the away goal
United scored could yet prove decisive if the scores are level at
the end of extra time next week. But it is an advantage Mancini
should be content with after rather bullishly declaring that City
could soon supersede United as the biggest club in Manchester.
Old Trafford should prepare for another classic contest. A
contest that could yet rival that seven-goal thriller in September
Ferguson considers the greatest Manchester derby in history.
For both sides so much is at stake. For City a real chance to go
to Wembley and end their 34-year wait for a trophy. For United the
bragging rights they appear to consider more important than the
competition itself.
When United reached the final last season, Ferguson played a
mixture of reserves and first-team regulars and so allowed players
like Ben Foster to taste a bit of success. But last night he
selected the strongest side he possibly could, albeit a side
missing key players like Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Dimitar
Berbatov.
Two good: Tevez heads City in front at
Eastlands
Their injury problems did not compare to City’s however, even if
there were players on the bench Mancini could have chosen ahead of
Pablo Zabaleta. The full back was asked to occupy a more central
role that sometimes added strength to City’s midfield and sometimes
saw him act as a foil to Tevez, and the fact that he was even asked
to do it revealed how little City’s manager must think of
Robinho.
For Mancini, though, the headaches did not end there. No
centre-halves meant he had to select a youngster in Dedryck Boyata
alongside a midfielder in Vincent Kompany and a lack of experience
soon proved costly.
If Antonio Valencia did well to muscle his way past Craig
Bellamy and deliver a low cross in the 17th minute, City’s back
four really should have done better in dealing with the danger. As
it was, Rooney met the ball virtually unopposed and, when Shay
Given parried, it was Giggs who was there to strike from close
range.
Ferguson could not hide his delight, immediately springing to
his feet and throwing up his arms in celebration.
Delight: Tevez celebrates after putting City in
front in the semi-final first leg
But the sense of elation did not last long. Not when City were
as quick as they were in applying the pressure on a United defence
also weakened by injury. Tevez probably should have scored when
Shaun Wright-Phillips sent in a teasing cross, but he drove his
header into the ground and wide.
De Jong went closer with a blstering effort in the 37th minute
that forced a fine save from Edwin van der Sar, but when Mike Dean
awarded what appeared to be a rather dubious penalty in the 41st
minute City drew level.
Rafael Da Silva certainly looked unlucky. Dean tried to tell
United’s players that Da Silva had tugged Bellamy’s shirt not once
but twice but television replays suggested both fouls were
committed outside the area.
It mattered not to Tevez, of course. He ignored Van der Sar’s
unsporting conduct and what seemed to be a few choice words from
Rooney and hit the ball as hard and as straight as he possibly
could. Van der Sar dived to his left. Bad call.
Perfect start: Ryan Giggs put United in front early
on
It made for a wonderful second half. Micah Richards saw an
effort cleared off the line by Evra and then Giggs threatened with
a header.
But when Zabaleta seized on United’s failure to clear a corner
and Kompany met his colleague’s header with a ball into the
six-yard box, it was Tevez who pounced and then ran to the
dug-out.
Other opportunities followed. For Michael Owen, on as a
substitute, and Valencia; for Wright-Phillips, too. But this was
Tevez’s night and a night when he finally had his say.
