Man U out of title race after Derby

Unbeaten Arsenal were 2-0 winners at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday while Chelsea triumphed 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers.

After Sunday’s defeat in the first derby to be played at the new City of Manchester Stadium, United have only the FA Cup, where they face Arsenal in the semi-finals, as a realistic chance of silverware this season.

Earlier on Sunday Aston Villa cruised to an easy 4-0 win at Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers. In later games Tottenham Hotspur host Newcastle United while Liverpool visit Southampton.

The game of the day was at the City of Manchester Stadium, however, and United will wonder how they ended up losing 4-1 after making most of the running.

City took a surprise lead with a close-range goal by Robbie Fowler after three minutes and, after United looked to be taking control, doubled the lead when former Old Trafford trainee Jon Macken hooked the ball in from just inside the box after 32 minutes.

United pulled one back three minutes later when superb work by Ryan Giggs set up Paul Scholes to drive home his fourth goal in three games against City this season.

Giggs could have had three himself with better finishing while Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a constant threat on the left, saw a sublime curler rebound off the bar just after Scholes’s reply. The second half was tighter but City found a way through after a blunder by Mikael Silvestre allowed Trevor Sinclair a chance he gleefully took in the 73rd minute.

The home team finished in style when Shaun Wright-Phillip slashed a spectacular shot into the roof of the net from wide on the right in stoppage time.

As the City fans danced in celebration of their second successive home derby win United’s players trudged off after a week they will want to forget. (Reuters)