Carling Cup player ratings: Manchester City v Manchester United

Given – The match was in danger of descending into a duel between Shay and Rooney. Thankfully Shay was still winning when the referee blew for time. 8

Richards – An improvement on his display in the last derby, but still needs to get tighter on wingers as wily as Giggs. 7

Boyata – Defensively sound and should be applauded for that. Needs to work on his distribution. 7

Kompany – Rooney slipped past him a couple of times (notably for their goal), but otherwise Big Vince was colossal. Dominant in the air and bagged an assist for the winner. 8

Garrido – Defensively weak against Valencia in the first half. Needs to get tighter and did improve in the second period. 6

Wright-Phillips – On the receiving end of his usual derby kicking, but put in a great effort considering a lack of match sharpness. 7

Barry – His first win against United in 27 attempts apparently. Gareth’s experience and professionalism saw him through. Due a rest at the weekend hopefully. 7

De Jong – This was the derby performance from de Jong we’ve been waiting for. Plenty of crunching tackles that were both legal and effective. 8

Zabaleta – Not sure what Pablo was doing on the left wing at the start, and he didn’t seem to know either. Much better when moved in-field. Managed to fit in some tidy passing alongside the harrying duties. 7

Bellamy – Started alongside Tevez, but much more effective when back on the left flank. Tormented Rafael and gave valuable support to Garrido. 8

Tevez – Feared the worst when he missed with a header in the first half, but it proved his night afterall. Magnificent commitment in playing the role of lone striker, often with little support. 8

Subs:

Onuoha – A timely re-introduction for Nedum as we faced down the late onslaught. A composed goal-line clearance was the highpoint. 7

Benjani – Despite a rollicking from Mancini for a half-hearted attempt to win a ball, he still wasn’t able to hold the ball up effectively. 6

Sylvinho – Helped to close the game out without doing anything spectacular. 6

Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez