With the second leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final just a few hours away, we’ve reached the climax of our countdown of the most memorable nights we’ve seen under the lights at Etihad Stadium.
And what better way to sign off than with a look back at a stirring win over our near neighbours?
City 1-0 Man United, 30 April 2012
Just a few weeks after trailing our local rivals by eight points, City went into the derby knowing that a win would give them a crucial advantage over the closing stretches of the race for the Premier League title.
With so much riding on the result, and the eyes of the footballing world fixed on the M11 postcode, it was no wonder that game was a tight, tetchy, closely-fought encounter.
Sergio Aguero had gone close with two decent chances before Vincent Kompany seized the crucial moment in stoppage time of the first half.
David Silva’s corner was headed powerfully past United ‘keeper David De Gea by the inspirational skipper to send the majority of fans in a packed Etihad Stadium into raptures.
Joe Hart had one of his more quiet evenings in the City goal as the Blues successfully kept their title challengers at arms’ length until the full time whistle.
City were ahead on goal difference with just two games to go, sealing a first league title in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable thanks to Sergio Aguero’s injury-time winner against QPR.
Starting XIs
City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure, Nasri (Milner 90+1), Silva (Richards 82mins), Barry, Aguero, Tevez (De Jong 68mins)
Unused subs: Pantilimon, Dzeko, Balotelli, and Kolarov
United:De Gea, Evra, Jones, Ferdinand, Smalling, Park (Welbeck 58mins), Scholes (Valencia 78mins), Carrick, Giggs, Nani (Young 83mins), Rooney
Unused subs: Amos, Berbatov, Hernandez and Da Silva
Man of the Match
Vincent Kompany
Reaction
“Now everyone has to forget this win and concentrate on Newcastle because nothing less than two wins is likely to be good enough. No more twists please!”
Chris Bailey, MCFC.co.uk
“In a game of few chances, City were the more positive side and deserved the three points from what had been labelled the biggest game in the Premier League’s 20-year history.
“United, in contrast, were passive, poor and lacking inspiration despite the high stakes, failing to get a shot on target as City keeper Joe Hart enjoyed a virtually untroubled night.”
Phil McNulty, BBC Sport
