Manchester United dismisses Manchester City 4 – 3

Michael Owen's dramatic strike in the sixth minute of added time to win a sensational derby catapulted the former Liverpool man into Old Trafford legend.

Now England boss Fabio Capello might have to reconsider Owen's claims for a World Cup ticket next summer. This was no ordinary goal; this was a clinical finish in a high-octane match - the type Owen used to specialize in before injuries wrecked his career. Many thought Owen was finished as an international and a top-level player.

When United boss Alex Ferguson let Carlos Tevez drift away to City and took Owen on a free, questions were raised in the summer about the old man's judgment. This was the answer and, for extra satisfaction, Tevez was there to witness it - after City seemed to have grabbed a point when Rio Ferdinand gave the ball away and Craig Bellamy scored with 90 minutes up on the clock.

Fergie was seriously wound up by that poster of Tevez on a billboard in his new City strip above the words "Welcome to Manchester". So how about United retaliating with a picture of Owen and his arms outstretched over the same message? That would kill two birds with one stone, not only annoying City but Owen's former club and rivals from Anfield as well.

Fergie reckoned United could have won this by six or seven but United's mistakes made it "the greatest derby of all time". It was true that United were remarkably accident-prone although, at the same time, City's finishing was outstanding. This was a rollicking Manchester derby with real edge and a passion which has been somewhat artificial in recent years.

Fergie claimed City had become too cocky and would not be the dominant team in his lifetime. So he was delighted when his players backed up his boast inside the first two minutes. With Shaun Wright-Phillips caught napping at a quick throw-in, Patrice Evra cut the ball back for Wayne Rooney who skipped between Nigel De Jong and Kolo Toure before shooting home.

The joy was short-lived, however, as nervy Ben Foster gifted City their 16th-minute equaliser. Foster had already hesitated once and seen his clearance charged down by Tevez so this time he foolishly tried to take the ball round the Argy - with fatal consequences. Tevez won the ball and laid it back for Gareth Barry and he finished with precision. In the stands sat Capello's assistant Franco Baldini, who cannot have been impressed by Foster's claims for the England goalkeeping spot, though he will have admired Barry's accuracy.

One-time United hero Mark Hughes, the City boss, was off the bench punching the air while the fans who used to adore him responded with gestures of a different type. The tempo was set - fast and furious with tackles flying in from all angles but somehow the lid stayed on.

Just before half-time, the moment Tevez had waited for came his way as Toure and Stephen Ireland set him up - only for his right-foot shot to rattle the outside of the post. Fergie gave his men a boot up the backside at half-time and they came out with far more purpose after the break. Within four minutes the evergreen Giggs, who bossed the second half, looped a cross towards the far post and the vastly improved Darren Fletcher climbed above Barry to head home. But City equalised through a cracking effort from Bellamy, who deceived Park Ji Sung to create space, then unleashed a right-foot pearler from 20 yards which flew in the top right-hand corner.

It took the brilliance of goalkeeper Shay Given to keep City level as he frustrated the life out of Dimitar Berbatov - twice beating away headers from the Bulgarian. When Giggs had a go with a volley, Given was there again to push it over the top as he fell backwards. But the Irishman could not stop Fletcher heading United's third from Giggs' free-kick on 80 minutes.

Just when United looked like closing it out, Ferdinand was punished for being casual. He tried to loft the ball to John O'Shea only for Martin Petrov to chest down and send Bellamy away. The Welshman appeared to have run out of room yet found a gap between Foster and post to slide in a stoppage-time leveller.

The irony was that the party which took place in front of the visiting fans was to be City's undoing. Referee Martin Atkinson added on time for City's exuberance, there were another 30 seconds when Michael Carrick came on for Anderson - and United made the most of it. Rooney's free-kick was charged down but, when he hooked it back into the area, the ball was cleared only as far as Giggs. The pass which followed was out of this world, splitting the defence in two. Owen controlled it with the outside of his right foot before prodding the winner home.