GOAL HERO ... Paul Scholes celebrates
PAUL SCHOLES headed a last-gasp winner to keep Manchester United in the title race.
City's defence went AWOL with just seconds left as an unmarked Scholes rose to convert Patrice Evra's pinpoint cross.
Roberto Mancini
Until the midfielder's priceless goal, United's chances of winning a fourth successive Premier League trophy appeared to be over after a frustrating afternoon at Eastlands.
Wayne Rooney returned to the starting line-up but not even the England striker could find a killer touch.
He worked his socks off before being replaced by Dimitar Berbatov in the second half.
And his departure 15 minutes from time appeared to signal the end of United's challenge — until Scholes came to the rescue in the third minute of injury-time.
With his desperation to keep United in the title race, it was hardly surprising to see Rooney back in Alex Ferguson's side after just a single day's training.
But the favourite to be named the PFA Player of the Year looked far from his best, with repeated rants at referee Martin Atkinson and a petulant kick at Nigel de Jong highlighting his mood.
The striker, who was in hot form before his ankle injury, opted against setting up Ryan Giggs when the opportunity presented itself.
And there was no real conviction behind his only decent effort of the opening period after Antonio Valencia forced the ball into the area.
Having beaten Kolo Toure with a deft piece of skill, the goal opened up for striker, who had scored 34 times before his injury.
But he dragged the effort wide and the miss was eventually compounded when Fergie hooked him in favour of Berbatov.
City were in determined mood from the first minute and De Jong typified the approach to what had been billed as their most important Manchester derby.
Carlos Tevez and Jonny Evans
The Ecudaor winger left returning full-back Wayne Bridge well beaten just before the break and his drilled cross was met by Giggs, only for the Welshman's tame effort to trickle into Shay Given's hands.
City had shown more movement in the opening half but constantly ran into a red brick wall.
Against his old club, Carlos Tevez curled an early free-kick towards the top corner for Edwin van der Sar to make a smart save.
And it proved to be City's only real chance of note before the half-time whistle blew.
There was little improvement — either in the overall quality of the game or Rooney's temper — in the opening minutes of the second half.
The fiery striker did himself no favours by rolling in agony following a kick from Vincent Kompany, only to jump to his feet and jog off as soon as a yellow card had been brandished.
United continued to struggle to find an end product before a flowing City move, started by Emmanuel Adebayor and involving Tevez, ended when Craig Bellamy crashed a shot into the side-netting.
Shortly afterwards, the hosts had a penalty appeal turned down when Gareth Barry crashed to the turf.
There was minimal contact from Gary Neville and Atkinson had no hesitation in ignoring City's calls for a spot-kick.
Ryan Giggs and Nigel de Jong
The Eastlands faithful were still digesting the incident when Giggs got on the end of a long ball before being blocked by Given, whose goal was threatened by Berbatov's header shortly afterwards.
It then took the interventions of Nemanja Vidic and Darren Fletcher to ensure a goalmouth scramble caused by Van der Sar's charge to meet a cross did not end in disaster.
The flurry of activity gave the impression of a game finally heading somewhere — but it took old stager Scholes to find the golden touch.
Carlos Tevez and Patrice Evra
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