Man Utd 4 - Man City 2: Ashley Young leads Red Devils past rivals to keep heat on Arsenal
ASHLEY YOUNG scored and created another as Manchester United earned their first home win over Manchester City in four years to push towards automatic qualification for the Champions League.
Ashley Young (centre) was central to Manchester United's win over rivals City
Young cancelled out Sergio Aguero’s early opener before Marouane Fellaini headed in at the back post for his sixth goal of the season.
Juan Mata’s tidy second-half finish sparked a carnival atmosphere inside Old Trafford before Chris Smalling headed home a fourth and Aguero netted a consolation on a disappointing day to celebrate his 100th City goal.
The win lifts third-place United four points clear of City, who will be nervously looking over their shoulders at the Liverpool, who play Newcastle tomorrow night.
Before the match United manager Louis van Gaal predicted his side would come out flying after winning their last five league games.
But the Red Devils were knocked back early when Aguero delivered the first blow, tapping in from close range after James Milner and David Silva had carved open their opponents’ back line.
PA
Marouane Fellaini (right) scores Manchester United's second
The ease of which City scored was reminiscent of their clash at Old Trafford last season when Manuel Pellegrini’s men strolled to a 3-0 victory.
But United have developed a stubbornness that was not present 13 months ago and they drew level through a balance of determination and good fortune six minutes later.
Young gambled at the near post to meet a low cross from Ander Herrera that bobbled off Gael Clichy and back to the winger, who gladly flicked the ball into the net.
And before City knew what had hit them it was 2-1, when Clichy was caught napping to let Fellaini head in at the far post after neat work from Young down the left.
Van Persie out of Manchester derby [AMBIENT]
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Only a superb save from Joe Hart early in the second half from Michael Carrick’s scrambled effort prevented United going two up but the stopper could do nothing about Mata’s finish on 67 minutes.
The Spaniard, who scored a winning double against Liverpool only two weeks ago, collected a Wayne Rooney lay-off on the counter and slid under Hart with ease.
And Rooney provided the fourth when Smalling, who returned to the side in place of Marcos Rojo, beat the offside trap to glance home an in-swinging free-kick from the captain.
Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao earned cameo appearances late on before Aguero buried a cut-back to make the scores vaguely respectable as United stretched their league form to six wins on the bounce.
