12 things we learned as Manchester United humbled City in the derby

It was a day to forget for Manchester City as United put their recent poor derby form behind them by dishing out a chastening 4-2 defeat to their rivals. Sergio Aguero scored twice for the Premier League champions, but in between goals from Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling gave United fans that smug feeling that only a derby victory can provide. Here’s what we learned along the way… 1. Jesus Navas is not the one Navas worst winger of all time — . (@VNotoriousSam) April 12, 2015 In the eighth minute Jesus Navas raced through on goal but hit his shot straight at David de Gea. Nobody was terribly surprised. there was not a single instant when i thought navas would score there — Ken Early (@kenearlys) April 12, 2015 Jesus Navas is not his real name. A former manager just said it so much it ended up sticking. — Nick Goff (@nickgoff79) April 12, 2015 2. Mario Balotelli still loves Manchester City (Martin Rickett/PA) City took the lead soon after when Sergio Aguero turned in a low cross from David Silva. One man who was very pleased was former City striker Balotelli. Yeeeees city👊👊👊👊@aguerosergiokun !!! 1-0 OLD TRAFFORD…Stand up and shut up. — Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) April 12, 2015 See, he still loves City. Or maybe, as a Liverpool player, he just hates Manchester United. Either way, he might refelct that he should have just kept quiet. 3. Ashley Young found some luck from somewhere Young levelled for United but had a big slice of luck, effectively providing the assist for himself as the ball ricocheted into his path for an easy tap-in. Is it just me or has Ashley Young been absolutely mint since that bird shat in his mouth? Maybe it is lucky after all! — The Daddy (@TheManUtdDaddy) April 12, 2015 He later provided the assists for real for Untied’s second and fourth, leading to these stats that seem to paint a contrasting picture. 57 – Ashley Young now has a total of 57 PL assists, only 18 players in the competition's history have more. Unsung. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 12, 2015 2 – Today is the first time Ashley Young has scored & assisted in the same PL game since March 2012 (vs Spurs). Vintage. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 12, 2015 4. David Moyes was hard done by (or not) (Jon Super/AP) Marouane Fellaini headed home Young’s cross after 27 minutes to put United in the lead. The Belgium international is in form you might describe as rampant, which just goes to show David Moyes was right all along. Somewhere in Spain David Moyes is smiling like a proud father looking at his son — Legendary (@Legendhenry) April 12, 2015 THANK YOU DAVID MOYES — Iconíc United (@IconicUnited) April 12, 2015 Or maybe it goes to show he was wrong all along and it’s all down to Louis van Gaal. Also fair play to van gaal in making fellaini worth the 27 mill he cost — yussssss (@yusdogtaaan) April 12, 2015 Look at the cameras focusing on Fellaini. How Van Gaal has changed him. — âš« (@DiSkill) April 12, 2015 It depends how you look at it. 5. Defending isn’t what it used to be Three goals in the first half and poor defending contributed to all of them – with Phil Jones and Gael Clichy the main offenders. Aguero made the run and Phil Jones' brain was still buffering — Zeets! (@Phaetonv2) April 12, 2015 Clichy is about as relevant at LB as the traffic lights on GTA. — Nylé (@ChileanWinger) April 12, 2015 Two of the best teams in the country and barely a competent defender between them. No wonder England’s back four looks so shaky. 6. Referees aren’t intimidated at Old Trafford any more I think Clattenburg did well there — Simon Dawkins (@simondawkins23) April 12, 2015 Clattenburg's bottled it, send him off! — Alex MUFC SD ® (@AlexAKSD) April 12, 2015 Towards the end of the first half, Vincent Kompany slid into Daley Blind with his studs in the air. Mark Clattenburg thought about it long and hard, consulted his assistant and – with the home fans screaming out for red – produced a yellow card. Maybe it should have been a red, maybe it shouldn’t – but you can’t help feeling that a couple of seasons ago the ref would have given it either way. 7. Sometimes, stats don’t lie With City trailing at half-time, there was another opportunity to bring out this statistic, which did the rounds after their loss at Crystal Palace last week. 86 – Manchester City have not won any of the last 86 PL away games where they've trailed at half-time (last winning in April 1995). Task. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 12, 2015 In the second period, they never looked like bringing an end to that particular run. 8. Everyone loves a goalmouth scramble At the start of the second half United almost made it 3-1 with an almost scramble in the City box. For many people, it was the highlight of the afternoon. How much more exciting is it when the premier league goes all Sunday league with a goalmouth scramble! #MUFCvMCFC — Andrew Breheny (@Breheny8) April 12, 2015 That's a goalmouth scramble of yore — Eric Lalor (@ericlalor) April 12, 2015 Premier descending into Sunday league with a good old fashioned goalmouth scramble #loveit — Ben Dowie (@SocialDows) April 12, 2015 9. Juan Mata knows what he’s doing (Martin Rickett/PA) United’s third did eventually come, with Mata sliding the ball through the legs of the on-rushing Joe Hart after a neat pass from Wayne Rooney. It was smart stuff from Mata, as Gary Lineker – a man who knows a thing or two about finishing – pointed out. Crafty finish from Mata. Know your keepers. — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 12, 2015 10. Chris Smalling is a goalscoring superstar (Martin Rickett/PA) City’s misery kept coming as Smalling rose to nod in Young’s free-kick for number four. That’s United’s fourth of the day, and Smalling’s fourth of the season. Can you think of any United strikers past or present who’ve scored four goals this season? Chris Smalling now has the same amount of Premier League goals as Danny Welbeck this season (4) #MUFC — United Reportâ„¢ (@ManUtdReport_) April 12, 2015 Chris Smalling has the same amount of goals as falcao 😐 — Gurjeet (@singh_gurjeet98) April 12, 2015 11. Sometimes centuries aren’t worth celebrating (Barrington Coombs/EMPICS) Aguero’s second of the day came with a couple of minutes left to play, and it was his 100th for City. It made the score 4-2 and prompted zero celebration. By this point United were down to 10 men, with Michael Carrick off the pitch injured, but – as Gary Neville pointed out on commentary – City showed no desire to rush the ball back to the centre spot and try to force an unlikely draw. 12. We wouldn’t want to be Manuel Pellegrini right now The Demon Headmaster's looking terrible these days. pic.twitter.com/Ip75cazieI — Football Clichés (@FootballCliches) April 12, 2015 Pellegrini with eyes of someone who has fully grasped the inescapability of death and the futility of man's search for meaningful existence — Carefree Chronicles (@carefreechronic) April 12, 2015 Brilliant performance. Look where pellegrini will be off tomorrow #nw pic.twitter.com/MElTLO2jS5 — All For United (@allforunited) April 12, 2015

Source: SNAPPA