Manchester United knocked holders Manchester City out of the FA Cup with a 3-2 third round win in an incident-packed derby at Eastlands on Monday morning.
Wayne Rooney scored twice, netting either side of the controversial sending off of City captain Vincent Kompany, with Danny Welbeck also on target to make it 3-0 before the break for the visitors.
But City pulled a goal back early in the second half when Aleksandar Kolarov bent a free-kick round the wall from the edge of the box.
And 10-man City struck again when Sergio Aguero made it 3-2 in the 65th minute following a mistake by United substitute Paul Scholes, summoned out of retirement by manager Sir Alex Ferguson following an injury crisis.
Premier League leaders City, three points in front of champions United at the top of the table, pressed for an equaliser, with Kolarov going close from a second free-kick in stoppage time, but Ferguson's men held on.
Defeat meant City's hold on the Cup lasted just one match, as the third round is the stage where Premier League clubs enter the tournament.
United's reward for its derby win is a fourth-round match with another rival as the Red Devils were given a tasty FA Cup date against Liverpool.
"I think we made them (City) better than they were," Ferguson said.
"We were just so careless in the second half. At 3-0 up at half-time they thought they were through and took their foot off the peddle.
"It was a careless performance, we should have been home and dry."
City boss Roberto Mancini, clearly unhappy with the 12th red card shown to Kompany by referee Chris Foy, praised his team's character after going 3-0 down.
"It's best that we talk about the game and not the referee.
"I am happy because I think we played a fantastic performance, the players did well in the second half.
"We scored two times, we had other chances to score in the end and we didn't concede any chances for them to score."
Rooney gave United the lead against the run of the play in the 10th minute when, after spreading play wide to Antonio Valencia, he sprinted into the box and then, from the winger's cross, he powered in a header off the crossbar.
And, two minutes later, City - three points in front of champions United at the top of the table - were down to 10 men.
Kompany appeared to win the ball cleanly from Nani, who played on, after sliding in on a wet pitch but the City defender had gone in two-footed and referee Chris Foy produced a red card.
Welbeck made it 2-0 with a brilliant volley from the edge of the box in the 30th minute and 10 minutes later he forced a penalty after he was brought down in the box by Kolarov.
Rooney's spot-kick was well saved by Costel Pantilimon, only for the England striker to head in from the rebound as United look to avenge their 6-1 league defeat by City at Old Trafford in October.
Then, with half an hour left, Scholes came on to replace Nani as his former United midfield colleague David Beckham watched from the stands.
But it was Scholes who set up City's second goal when he gave the ball away to James Milner, whose cross was met by Aguero.
His initial effort was saved by Anders Lindegaard but Aguero scored on the follow-up in the 65th minute.
However, United held on for victory.
In the morning's other matches, Chelsea eased past Championship outfit Portsmouth in a 4-0 drubbing at Stamford Bridge.
Brazillian midfielder Ramires scored two goals within two minutes of each other at the death to add to Juan Mata's second-half finish, before Frank Lampard capped off the win in injury time.
Martin O'Neill's Sunderland renaissance continued with a 2-0 win over lowly Peterborough, while Sheffield Wednesday shocked West Ham with a last-gasp 1-0 win.
Man United will have no time to savour its derby win over City after the fourth round draw pitted the Premier League champions against heated rivals Liverpool in a home tie that will be played against the backdrop of Luis Suarez's ban for racially abusing United's Patrice Evra.
Uruguay striker Suarez is set to miss the match as he is currently serving an eight-game ban for abusing Evra during a 1-1 Premier League draw at Anfield in October - a ruling that sparked a furious reaction from Liverpool.
"Liverpool away...what a tie! Great game for the #FaCup + our fans! Let's av iiiiiit! Roll on the 4th round," United's Rio Ferdinand wrote on Twitter.
Another potential flashpoint could come if Queens Park Rangers beat Milton Keynes Dons, with the winners at home to Chelsea in the fourth round.
Chelsea and England captain John Terry is facing criminal charges for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
ABC/AFP
Tags: sport, english-premier, soccer, england First posted January 09, 2012 06:58:47
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