England defender Chris Smalling was on target as Manchester United snatched the bragging rights away from neighbours Manchester City with a resounding 4-2 victory.
The Red Devils fell behind after eight minutes as Sergio Aguero fired the visitors into the lead, but Ashley Young, who has 30 caps for the Three Lions, levelled shortly after.
United, captained by England skipper Wayne Rooney, then turned on the style as Marouane Fellaini put them ahead before the break and Juan Mata made it 3-1 on 67 minutes.
Smalling stretched United’s lead on 73 minutes, notching past his international team-mate Joe Hart for his fourth league goal of the season.
Aguero pulled one back late on for City, but it was United, who also included Phil Jones and Michael Carrick in their side, who were left celebrating come full time.
James Milner also started for Manchester City.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, goalscorer Young said: “It was a magnificent win. We knew we had to get three points and it was going to be a tough game.
“It was disappointing to go a goal behind, but we showed that character and team spirit to get ourselves back in the game. Only one team was going to win it once we went ahead.”
Green and QPR suffered a late defeat
Earlier in the afternoon, Rob Green and his Queens Park Rangers team-mates were left heartbroken as they suffered a cruel 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Loftus Road.
England shotstopper Green had hardly been called into action all game before he sliced a kick out with two minutes to go, and it was Cesc Fabregas that struck the fatal blow after Oscar and Eden Hazard had pounced on the loose ball.
Chelsea, who included Three Lions vice-captain Gary Cahill in their defence, are now seven points clear of second place Arsenal.
“It was a fantastic time to score,” Fabregas told Sky Sports afterwards.
“We have been up there since the first day so we want to continue that. We want to be solid, win important games – that shows the character of this team.”
Green and his QPR side sit two points adrift of safety in 18th place with five games remaining.
