Manchester Derby Review: Has Wayne Rooney Won United the Title?

Roller Coaster (noun) - An action, situation or series of events characterized by frequent, abrupt and unpredictable change.

Or, in short, the Manchester Derby.

The 159th clash between the two neighbouring clubs—with a joint revenue of a little over £411 million, making Manchester one of the richest footballing cities in the world—doesn't require any editorial spicing nowadays. 

A snooze-fest of a draw in the first leg of the season did not prevent any outlandish predictions coming in from all across the footballing globe. After all, last season's four encounters were spectacles in their own right, capped by that humdinger of a corresponding fixture when Michael Owen sent Old Trafford into hysteria.

The importance of the fixture has been elevating ever since Manchester City benefited from a "few" oil bucks coming in from Abu Dhabi. This season, however, City had finally reached that stage where they were considered genuine title contenders.

Both teams knew that a City win would reduce the gap between them to a mere two points. So did the 75,332 fans present at Old Trafford and the millions watching on TV. 

For City, parking the bus like they did at Eastlands was out of the question, especially at a venue where Manchester United have dropped just two points all season.

That's when the roller coaster took its first dip.

Both the team-sheets read out a 4-5-1 formation, with a lone striker (Rooney; Tevez) being flanked by two wide-men (Nani, Giggs; Silva, Milner). Dimitar Berbatov and Edin Dzeko, worth a combined £57 million, found themselves on the bench.

This was especially a bad move from United, who have been known to lose two games on the trot in a season, only to bring a tilt in the title race. A defensive approach from the word "Go?" Yikes!

But the start of the game was all but defensive, characterized by some pulsating end-to-end football, yielding a flurry of corners.

David Silva had a great chance of striking the first blow in the opening five minutes after a wonderful interchange involving Yaya Toure and himself, but the Spaniard sent his effort inches wide of the post.

United responded with a great passing run involving some sublime wing-to-wing passing between Nani and Giggs. The former could only send his characteristic left-footer from outside the box over the bar.

City enjoyed a good spell of possession in the first 20 minutes in which they controlled the midfield. United were looking sloppy and were almost made to pay for it when Yaya Toure blew a chance that was similar to Silva's.

As the half-hour mark approached, United slowly gained control of the midfield and started testing Joe Hart. Darren Fletcher saw his header go straight to Hart, while Nani also saw his deflected effort land straight into the clutches of the English No. 1.

But Nani was not to be denied his 10th goal of the season for long as he put United ahead in the 41st minute.

It was the result of a glorious long ball from Rooney at the edge of his own box which found Ryan Giggs. The Welshman produced a magical one-touch cross that found Nani running towards goal. The Portuguese winger's first touch was superb and he needed only one more to send a side-footer past Hart.

A goal that was slightly against the run of play, and City would have considered themselves rather unlucky going into the break.

A few more minutes of frustration in the second half were enough for Roberto Mancini to bring on Edin Dzeko, who had scored home and away against United last season in the Champions League when he played for Wolfsburg. 

The Bosnian clearly hadn't had enough as he brought City level in the 65th minute, with little help from a deflection off Silva's back.

It was game on at Old Trafford and City looked visibly buoyed by the equalizer. United were rocked and City were going for the win.

Anything you can do, I can do better. Sir Alex Ferguson responded by bringing on Premier League top-scorer Dimitar Berbatov. And the Bulgarian immediately delighted the Old Trafford crowd with some exquisite touches.

Then came the moment that could turn a season around, for the player as well as the team. Wayne Rooney, who had been uncharacteristically quiet so far, stepped up and scored possibly the goal of the season.

Nani whipped in a cross from the right, seeing Rooney lurking in the box. The ball, however, took a deflection in its path off a City defender, which meant Rooney would have to improvise.

And improvise he did—and how! The Englishman leaped up in the air and sent a blistering overhead kick crashing into the top-right corner. Old Trafford erupted, and Rooney ran along the sidelines, taking it all in.

It was a goal that was so symbolic of United's season so far. A seemingly unconvincing performance followed by that flash of brilliance, that magical moment, that bags you the three points.

It was a goal that screamed out, "I'm back, fellas! And I ain't gonna stop!"

It was a goal that finally brought the roller coaster to its end.

It was a goal that put United seven points clear at the top, and eight points ahead of City, having played a game less.

It was a goal that all but ended City's hopes of a title.

It was a goal that could possibly have won United the title.

Ana Beatriz Barros Maria Menounos Shakira Leslie Bibb Chelsea Handler