Man Utd 4 - 3 Man City: match report

From a neutral standpoint today's Manchester derby was a spectacle which oozed tenacity, and featured two incredibly determined teams intent on making a statement by claiming the three points. It was a true local derby, played at a break-neck pace and dominated by high-tempo attacking football along with defensive nervousness. Mark Hughes will be furious at the referee's decision to add 90 seconds onto the additional 4 minutes, but his side made the schoolboy error of failing to play to the whistle, and allowed mental fatigue to affect their concentration in the dying moments.

United started brightly, and it took only 2 minutes for their attacking style to overwhelm the City defense, as Wayne Rooney slotted the ball into the back of the net with a wonderful individual effort. For the next quarter of an hour, the game was not a contest. City looked as though the occasion would get the better of them, as they saw very little of the ball and appeared to lack the confidence to make anything happen when they were in possession.

It wasn't until the equalising goal that the match really took off. After a relatively impressive start to the season between the sticks, Ben Foster's calamitous error allowed Carlos Tevez to wrestle the ball away, and pass it to Gareth Barry to slot the ball into an empty net. The remainder of the first half saw City enjoy their most impressive spell of the match, but they were unable to find the goal that would put them ahead. City finished the half a far better committed and confident side that began the match.

Once more however, United were the more impressive side out of the blocks in the second half. Two of United's most effective players on the field connected within 5 minutes of the restart, as Ryan Giggs' beautifully flighted cross landed on the head of Darren Fletcher. City fought back again though, as Craig Bellamy took advantage of United's dithery defense with a destructive strike from outside the box. United pushed on and regained their composure, and their dominant second half performance wore City down, barely allowing them any time to re-organise. Darren Fletcher thought he'd found the winner again, when he exploited the gaps in City's zonal defensive system, but Rio Ferdinand's astonishing mistake at the back allowed City a last-gasp equaliser to secure themselves a 3-3 draw and a point. Or so they thought.

Referee Martin Atkinson enjoyed an impressive game, and the FA will defend his decision to allow the clock to run all the way up to 96 minutes, during which United's Michael Owen was able to net a dramatic winning goal. After signalling that there would be 'at least' (an important phrase which is often lost in the allotment of additional time) 4 minutes added on, City scored their 3rd goal, taking a good 60-90 seconds off the clock, and United made the substitution which saw Carrick replace Anderson (FA rules stipulate that 30 additional seconds must be played for each substitution made). City will be fuming about the time which the referee added on, but it was done by the book, and they should kick themselves, and not the ref, for lacking the concentration to see the game out.

In terms of individual performances, Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher for United were impressive, with the latter continuing to go from strength to strength as the engine of United's midfield. Shay Given too deserves a mention, who made 4 or 5 good saves to deny United during their second half dominance.

United will be relieved then, that their defensive frailties did not cost them what were deserved three points. City will be frustrated at the manner of the defeat, but should take heart from the way in which they acquitted themselves throughout. City have now produced two good performances against both Manchester United and Arsenal, and have proven to themselves and the world that, on their day, they are capable of competing with the big boys. What remains to be seen however, is whether they can stay the course over a 38-game season and really compete for a title. City have attracted a lot of criticism for the way in which they've splashed their cash, but if the new era at the club continues to produce Manchester derbies this electric and this competitive in the coming years, then the Premiership has a lot to look forward to.

Beşiktaş 0 - 1 Man Utd: Player ratings

United's performance would be best described as workmanlike; it was nothing spectacular but it didn't need to be. Sir Alex will leave Istanbul very satisfied, having taken the three points, dodged a potential banana skin, and ticked one of the two long-haul trips his side must take in this group stage off of the fixture list.

Match Ratings:

Ben Foster - 6

Did everything that was asked of him. Looks increasingly confident and commanding with every game at the moment in Edwin Van der Sar's absence.

Patrice Evra - 7

Evra, along with Ashley Cole and Philip Lahm, is currently one of the world's best left backs, and demonstrated why he is so highly rated among United fans tonight. Dangerous going forward in his link-up play with Nani, Evra displayed an assured competence in pushing forward, and always possessed an extra yard of pace to make up for any defensive problems.

Jonny Evans - 7

Evans is incredibly mature for his age and for his position, which typically doesn't see players make the strides that Evans has until later in their twenties. Tonight, Evans was as positionally sound and technically proficient as United fans have come to expect. With Rio still struggling with a number of worrying niggles that he cannot seem to shake off, Evans provides Ferguson with excellent back-up.

Nemanja Vidic - 6

Whenever Rio Ferdinand is absent from the United back four, extra responsibility is bestowed on Vidic, as the communicator and commander of the defensive unit. Vidic struggled with this responsibility tonight, as he so often does without Rio in the side. While Vidic did the things that fans have come to expect of him without fuss tonight, his partnership with Evans needs work (mis-communication between the two almost allowed an unchallenged Marcio Nobre to get on the end of a Nihat cross late on) and too often he looked sluggish and noncommital in his challenges.

Gary Neville - 6

Appearances for the Man United club captain will be at a premium this season, and Neville enjoyed a typically organised and tidy, if not wholly unspectacular 90 minutes at right back.

Nani - 7

The system Ferguson is playing this season requires touchline-hugging wingers to put in the exact kind of shift that Nani put in tonight. Nani is often electric on the ball, and can beat defenders by shifting inside or by bolting for the byline, but he is very much a work in progress with his lack of a footballing brain. Hit a nicely-struck shot which forced the rebound that led to the winning goal.

Paul Scholes - 8

Besiktas were more organised and packed the midfield far more than Spurs on Saturday, which denied Paul Scholes the freedom he enjoyed at the weekend. Given the time and space however, he displayed glimpses of the Scholes of old, and struck a number of beautifully weighted balls out wide to both Nani and Valencia. Good header for the goal too, which was not as much of a tap in as some might suggest; the keeper was back on his feet and was beaten by an accurately struck header.

Michael Carrick - 6

Clearly lacking in confidence, Carrick continued to be a shadow of the player that was often among the first on Sir Alex's team sheet over the past few seasons. Lacking in inspiration on the ball, Carrick must improve his ball retention and rediscover his creative spark if he is to work his way out of Sir Alex's doghouse.

Anderson - 8

Possibly at Michael Carrick's expense, Anderson continued to grow in performance and has seemingly overtaken Carrick in the United midfield pecking order. Anderson displayed good energy, distributed the ball effectively and is really beginning to benefit from a prolonged run in the team. His first goal for the club at Spurs on Saturday will only help build his confidence.

Antonio Valencia - 9

Clearly United's most dangerous player tonight, Valencia terrorised the Besiktas defense with his pace, ball control and movement. The final product may have not been on the money every time, but Valencia provided United with their primary attacking outlet, which provided them with chances and set pieces all night long.

Wayne Rooney - 7

Played up front in an isolated position, Rooney did all the little things which encompassed the unspectacular nature of United's performance. Rooney is not a lone striker, and he was clearly frustrated by playing with his back to goal, but the conservative approach taken by United required someone to sit up the top and occupy the defense, and that's exactly what Rooney did.

Sub 1: Michael Owen - 6...Looked lively, had a couple of half chances that he probably should've slotted away.

Sub 2: Dimitar Berbatov - 6...As usual, his ball retention and technique was second to none and truly world class, but his performances continue to lack any kind of passion or goalscorer's insinct.

Sub 3: Park Ji-Sung - 6...Every team needs a player like Park. Sent on by Ferguson late on to play the simple ball and see the game through.

Referee Nicola Rizzoli - 9

The men in black receive unimaginable flack when they get things wrong, so they deserve a pat on the back when they get things right. Rizzoli was fantastic, and managed the occasion and the atmosphere beautifully. Infinitely better refereeing performance than I can ever remember seeing by any English official.

Besiktas fans - 10

Seriously. Incredible. Providing the crowds behave, and they can be stewarded fairly and efficiently, I am all for atmospheres like this.

Disciplinary disputes: the Adebayor/Eduardo debates, 15/09/09

From Malouda's desperate last-minute winner to Defoe's opening-minute acrobatics at White Hart Lane, last weekend's round of Premiership matches produced some great football, interesting results, and added intrigue to both the top and bottom of the league table. It is sad then that discussions in recent days have centred around issues of controversy, namely the disciplinary issues currently faced by Emmanuel Adebayor and Eduardo Da Silva.

Emmanuel Adebayor's behaviour against Arsenal at Eastlands on Saturday was quite frankly abhorrent. The Togolese forward was today charged with violent conduct, for his blatant stamp on Van Persie, and improper conduct, following his 90-yard celebratory dash which was deemed to have incited the Arsenal-supporting spectators. The FA must learn from the Eduardo/UEFA debacle however, and stick to the book in banning Adebayor. Anything more than a 3-4 game ban, and they will be making an example out of the striker, and bowing the the excessive criticism that he has faced which, as disgraceful as his behaviour on Saturday was, would be wrong.

Mark Hughes' intentions may be correct in displaying a certain amount of loyalty to his player, but City must be careful in defending such behaviour. It is bad enough that Adebayor's moody and withdrawn performances for Arsenal last term have been rewarded by City with a big money move. Adebayor has always been somewhat enigmatic, and certainly temperamental, yet if they can keep him fit, free of bans and most importantly happy at the club, he could be City's ticket to a top four finish.

Arsenal meanwhile have (or should I now say had?) disciplinary issues of their own, with the controversy surrounding Eduardo's 2-game European ban for diving. Diving has certainly become the ugly side of the modern game, and if the mishandling of the Eduardo situation proves anything, it is that now is the time for both FIFA and UEFA to clearly outline plans of the ways they intend to tackle (excuse the pun), referee and discipline the problem of diving.

I do not condone diving at all, but Eduardo should never have been banned. Although it was clear that Artur Boruc never brought the forward down, a 2-game ban was overly harsh when players all over Europe do the same thing week in, week out and escape the same punishment. The situation was grossly mishandled by UEFA, who bowed to external pressures in punishing the player, and then sent the wrong message out to players in overturning the decision.

Tonight the first group stage of the Champions League kicks off, with every player now knowing that they can cheat and go unpunished. Eradicating cheats from the game is something that can be achieved, but only through UEFA and FIFA working together to take firm, hard-line decisions in order to tackle the diving culture that continues to engulf the game.