Sir Alex Ferguson was booed as he appeared on the Etihad big screen before kick-off and shifted uneasily in his leather-padded seat during an agonising first-half for Manchester United. City threatened to inflict a humiliation worse than the 5-1 or 6-1 and the trophy engraver must have started carving their name onto the Premier League crown for a third time.
True to Ferguson's mantra, United did not make it easy for themselves. What threatened to be a capitulation became a captivating comeback dominated by the former United manager's relics and cast-offs. It was a night which belonged to Paul Pogba.
Ferguson may have nodded knowingly at Pep Guardiola's pre-match revelation that Pogba was offered to City by his agent Mino Raiola. Ferguson once called Raiola a 't**t' during a stand-off over Pogba's salary and Alexis Sanchez's January arrival saw Pogba's form plummet. The recovery began against Swansea and redemption was attained at The Etihad.
Pogba delicately volleyed on 53 minutes and chased after the ball - and a comeback. Two minutes later, he headed potently past Ederson and clutched the ball again, ballooning it into the crestfallen blue Blues behind the goal. Pogba, berated by Mourinho during one first-half flashpoint, reemerged possessed. The derby redemption was not over.
Chris Smalling was beaten by Vincent Kompany for the opener and recovered with his own finish at the same end to complete a remarkable turnaround. It was Smalling whom Kompany outjumped for that decisive derby winner in 2012 and that memory, branded by Ferguson with his public criticism that April evening, may have partly elicited the atonement.
On an evening of parallels, this was Maine Road '93, when City enjoyed a 2-0 lead at the pause only to be undone by Eric Cantona. If Pogba was Cantona then Smalling was matchwinner Roy Keane. One of those comparisons is credible. Amid doubts fuelled by the rapacious Raiola, Pogba reminded Jose Mourinho that he was the 'captain' midfielder he wanted two years ago. The armband may yet be his.
This was classic United. A stimulating and stirring comeback that harked back to the team of Ferguson. This was the second time they have recovered from a 2-0 deficit in as many months and perhaps it is finally time to get re-accustomed with United comebacks. Hearts were in mouths at the finale as David de Gea beggared belief again to deny Sergio Aguero and City hit the woodwork. They do not make it easy for themselves, Man United.
Mourinho attempted to draw parallels with Chelsea thumping United to secure the Premier League 12 years ago and the symmetry seemed set to be much more painful. The chastening sight of Kompany heckling the away supporters, hearing Blues chirp 'Park the bus' and seeing City supporters blow up their inflatable league trophies were memories that must have been burning in Mourinho's mind as he skulked back to the away dressing room 2-0 down.
The Inspiral Carpets' This Is How It Feels welcomed the referee's shrill. If there is one Manchester team whose team could end up winning nothing at all this season then it is United. Their only top six away day success remains the 3-1 triumph at Arsenal and with two weeks to go until a return to Wembley to face Tottenham, City's dominance was an ominous reminder of how Spurs schooled United in January.
If there was one referee United supporters would have wished to avoid it would have been Martin Atkinson, so it was ironic that the Yorkshire official presided over a flurry of questionable early decisions which benefited the visitors. The presence of Sterling unsettled Young, who handled inside his own area accidentally and clumsily collided into the winger only for Atkinson to overlook the infringement. When Sterling was then adjudged to have impeded Young, City supporters got so exasperated a bottle was lobbed onto the pitch.
'Twenty times, Man United' segued into 'Park the bus Man United' from the United supporters busied themselves with a lengthy of chorus of 'We f*****g hate City' and 'My Old Man' at 0-0. They still have the measure of their neighbours, even if the team didn't for 45 forlorn minutes..
Kompany met Leroy Sane's outswinger on 25 minutes to give City the advantage and five minutes later Ilkay Gundogan pirouetted away from the lumbering Nemanja Matic for match point. Sterling squandered presentable opportunities in a half where City had nine attempts at goal. United had none and a pitiful two touches in Ederson's area.
Pogba had two in the second. "Two-nil and you f****d it up," United fans chirped.
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