FA Cup Third Round: Man City 2-3 Man Utd – Kompany Sees Red As United Beat The Blues (Photos & Highlights)

Chris Wright

9th, January 2012

21 Comments

By Chris Wright

Well. That was all rather exciting wasn’t it? Manchester United rushed into a three-nil lead against 10-man City at the Etihad in the third round of the FA Cup at the Etihad yesterday afternoon, only to have the frighteners put on them when City rallied and pulled two goals back during an intense second half.

Wayne Rooney put United ahead in the tenth minute with a perfect, nigh-on unstoppable header before City captain Vincent Kompany was sent-off for an exquisitely timed and executed tackle on Nani just a few moments later. To play Foy’s Advocate for a moment, I can see why Kompany’s lunge gave the impression of a two-footed scissor in real time, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that it was completely and utterly the wrong decision on the referee’s part.

As I saw it, Kompany went in with a solid block using his right foot/leg, and purposefully dangled his left behind Nani so as not to make contact with the United player. I have faith in Vincent. He’s far too conscientious and gifted a centre-half to go in that recklessly. The fact that Nani didn’t even react to the challenge made the decision even more baffling. Ah well, these things happen. City are appealing and I expect hope that the dismissal will be overturned.

An outrageous volley from Danny Welbeck and a penalty converted at the second attempt from Rooney had United 3-0 up at the interval, before Aleksandar Kolarov pulled one back a few minutes after the restart with a deft free-kick from the edge of the area.

Paul Scholes then came on (yep, that Paul Scholes – the 37-year old, recently retired Paul Scholes) to sure things up on the hour mark – what that says about Sir Alex’s faith in Anderson I’m not sure – only to haemorrhage possession and watch on as Sergio Aguero poked home his own fumbled shot to reduce the deficit with 25 minutes left to play.

City then took to sniping United on the counter-attack for the remainder and came close to equalising several times, seeing a ‘Stonewall Penalty™’ (©Alan Hansen) turned down and another direct Kolarov free-kick frantically scrambled to safety after Lindegaard could only shovel it out into a crowded six-yard box seconds before the final whistle shrilled around the Etihad.

T’was pure sporting entertainment of the highest order and, while we’re on the subject, United got drawn against Liverpool in the fourth round – which should be interesting.

Photos…

Highlights…

Photos: PA

Posted in FA Cup, Featured, Man City, Man Utd, Photos, Videos

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21 Comments

  1. thisISben says:

    You seem to have missed that United had a ‘stonewall penalty’ also turned down when it was 3 – 1 which surely would have put an end to the game.

    Plus the city penalty, what did people expect Jones to do with his arm? He was balancing himself when trying to block. He can’t just float.

  2. dont worry says:

    yeah ball hit jones chest first then hit his arm which was planted in the ground and like ben said, he cant float

  3. STFC says:

    @Chris surely the swindon game is worth a cheeky post? pleeeaaaase

  4. STFC says:

    Oh and @ the 2 guys above – they were both penalties, move on.

  5. Tinez says:

    Jones could have been in better position to defend and not had to have handballed. That’s what we expect. It was a pen.

  6. Chris Hoy says:

    There are only two people to blame for Vincent Kompany’s red card: Vincent Kompany and the guy who invented the Two Footed tackle rule. The referee can’t be blamed for following the rules of the game. Kompany knows full well leaving the ground with a two footed tackle will get you sent off yet he commited the offence. I personally like the rule. I consider it cheating to use both your feet to give yourself an unfair advantage in a tackle. It endangers the other player and it is cowardly. If you don’t like it then complain about the rule not the referee.

  7. Dave says:

    In my opinion theres no way that should have been a red card, I thought it was a great tackle. As for the penalties well theres nothing Jones could have done to get his arm out of the way so it would have been harsh to give it, and Man Utd also had a good shout turned down.

    Was great to see Scholes again though, even if he did set up City’s 2nd goal haha

  8. TW says:

    Not satisfied with getting Kompany sent off, I see Ferguson is now trying to spike the Man City appeal, so he’s banned for 4 games. Very sporting as usual.Ferguson asks refs to be honest – pity it doesn’t apply to him & his players. Win at all costs, use any means. What’s it got to do with sport?

  9. ken says:

    at the end of the day we beat city fair a squere they dont like it well thats tuff we won onthe day on there turf did they really think they could win look at there track record over 34 yrs how can you follow losers like that even all the money did nothink there going noware now second division would be a good place for them what a sad lot of fans you all are enjoy the bitter pill there will be more to follow lol lol

  10. Jack says:

    Everyone says “But Kompany got the ball” He only got it because Nani jumped out of the way so he wouldn’t get his legs mashed up. It was a reckless tackle. Both feet were in the air, and thats the end of the matter.

  11. Lol says:

    @Ken

    I’m guessing from the lack of punctuation that you are 6 years old?

    Must try harder : D-

  12. MJ says:

    thanks, jack. couldn’t have said it any better

  13. shay says:

    Two footed, studs up but we should trust that vincent would never do that on purpose. Lol!

  14. Del says:

    United go down to 10 men at Old Trafford in second half. Get beaten 6-1.

    City go down to 10 men in 11th minutes at the Etihad Stadium. Defeated 3-2.

    The stats speak for themselves.

  15. Nuno says:

    Agree with Jack. That was a reckless tackle, Nani chose (well) to get out of the way, otherwise we might have another Shawcross/Ramsey incident. Two footed, couldn’t stop it if Nani got to the ball first and potentially leg breaking. Totally acceptable/understandable red card IMHO (although it does seem the card was a bit influenced by Rooney).

  16. Markell says:

    Never, never, NEVER been prouder to be a City fan than right now. Del says everything I need to about the numbers, but the courage, the commitment, the passion shown by the boys in blue I will never forget. They had United playing absolutely scared, and if City had had Kolo, Yaya, and Barry, I firmly believe we would have won yesterday even down to 10 men. There has been no more awesome sight these eyes have seen in quite some time than that of Micah Richards charging out every time the ball was nearly in his area, crouched down, hands back and feet wide, lurking like a shark to launch into the next counter. What a game, what a performance. We love you, City.

  17. ef says:

    @Jack

    No, he gets the ball because he gets there first. He is not late and didn’t do it to get the ball, if he knew that would get him sent off.

    It’s one crazy tackle but it’s clear and no one gets hurt, no one even falls. If Nani wouldn’t jump he would have smashed Kompany’s face, that’s why he jumps…

  18. ef says:

    I meant *didn’t do it to hurt Nani* ;)

  19. Carl says:

    @Del

    Situation 1: City are lethal at punishing United for multiple mistakes, sloppy defending, and a distinct lack of motivation to play the game they get paid to play.

    Situation 2: United gift City two goals to pull them back into the game.

    The stats don’t really speak for themselves then do they? What the stats show is that City are excellent at punishing other teams’ mistakes (see every other City game this season aside from the last two or three) but not as dominant overall as pundits would have you believe. If United can sure up a leaky, injury-stricken midfield and defence and cut out the mistakes from their youth (which is expected) they are a better team hands down

  20. __wowza says:

    @ken: i think you just may have locked up the award for “longest run on sentence in pies history”, well done!!

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