Manchester Utd win epic derby over tenacious City

Manchester United 4 Manchester City 3. After all the hype running up to the first Manchester derby of the season, Alex Ferguson and Mark Hughes' sides conspired to deliver an absolute blood and thunder classic of a clash, which was only settled by Michael Owen's dramatic late winner in the 96th minute.

Man City had started with former red Carlos Tevez up front, and the Argentinean thrived on the sulphurous nature of the tie, putting Gareth Barry through to score after 16 minutes and cancel out Wayne Rooney's second-minute opener, and picking up a booking ten minutes later.

City almost went in at the break in the lead after a sweet move saw the influential Stephen Ireland feed Tevez only for his shot to narrowly miss the target. When the teams reemerged after the interval, it seemed Ferguson's 'hairdryer treatment' had done its job as the home side soon took the lead again, with Darren Fletcher scoring his first goal of the season from a Giggs cross after four minutes of the second period.

But City fought their way back onto level terms again within three minutes, when Craig Bellamy, a handful for United's defence all afternoon, shot beyond Ben Foster from the edge of the box. Fletcher and Giggs put United back in front, when the Scot picked up his second header of the afternoon with ten minutes on the clock and the game looked done and duster.

But as the game approached extra time, mayhem ensued. The tireless Bellamy dispossessed Rio Ferdinand, and ran at Foster, eventually squeezing a shot inside him with what should have been the last act of this remarkable affair. But in the sixth minute - of four signalled minutes - of extra time, United substitute Michael Owen justified his summer signing in one fell swoop, when he rifled home another Giggs pass to bring glory to Manchester United. ·