Source: Telegraph
Manchester City 0 Manchester United 1: match report
Paul Scholes revived Manchester United's title hopes by sending the champions to victory against Manchester City with a stunning header 19 seconds from full-time at Eastlands. [LNB]Having clinched a 4-3 derby win against Manchester City at Old Trafford in September with a Michael Owen goal deep into stoppage time, United repeated the trick to complete a league double over their bitter rivals. [LNB] Related ArticlesManchester derbyMan City v Man Utd: ratingsMasterful Paul Scholes still running the show for Manchester UnitedPremier League tablePremier League fixturesMancini avoids touchline banAnd with leaders Chelsea facing a tough game at Spurs on Saturday evening, Sir Alex Ferguson's team will now believe they have renewed hope of a fourth successive title. [LNB]Regardless of the problems in recent weeks that have seen United tumble out of the Champions League and suffer an almighty dent to their title hopes, the one quality never lacking in a Ferguson team is the ability to scrap for a result. [LNB]United have always blended silk with steel and Ferguson's starting XI emphasised his determination to challenge City to win the physical battle before anything else. [LNB]Scholes, plucked from the playing fields of nearby Middleton as a teenager, personified United's refusal to be outmuscled by City. [LNB]The 35 year-old, fresh from signing a new one-year contract on Friday, led from the front as United started in determined mood. [LNB]A crunching Scholes challenge on City winger Adam Johnson was matched by similarly robust tackles by Nemanja Vidic and Darron Gibson on Carlos Tevez. [LNB]The ferocity of United's approach certainly caught City on the back-foot in the early stages. [LNB]United also led the way in terms of early chances with Darren Fletcher and Scholes shooting narrowly wide of goal either side of a Tevez free-kick which was well saved by Edwin van der Sar. [LNB]City struggled to hit their stride in the first-half and United could, and should, have gone in at half-time with a two goal lead. [LNB]Rooney missed the best chance on 41 minutes when, after being fed by Antonio Valencia, he escaped Kolo Toure before sending a left foot shot wide of the post from the edge of the penalty area. [LNB]Four minutes later, Ryan Giggs spurned another great chance when his weak left-foot shot from Valencia's cross failed to trouble Shay Given from three yards. [LNB]City had been let off the hook, but Roberto Mancini's team appeared too exhausted to take advantage in the second-half. [LNB]As they toiled away, United continued to boss the game, yet chances were few and far between. [LNB]Nani sent a volley wide of the near post on 71 minutes before Dimitar Berbatov headed a cross wide of the post moments later. [LNB]With five minutes to play, however, Patrick Vieira and Nedum Onuoha both had shots scrambled clear by Vidic in a late goalmouth scramble that could have led to City scoring a winner. [LNB]But it was left to Scholes to make the difference with his incredible header. [LNB]
