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.
