Manchester United 3 - 1 Manchester City

Man Utd 3-1 Man City: Utd go nine clear

Updated: December 9, 2006, 2:58 PM UK

Manchester City's 32-year wait for an Old Trafford win goes on as United moved another step closer in their quest to end a three-year title drought with a 3-1 derby triumph.

Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal ensured the Red Devils marched nine points clear of Chelsea at the Premiership summit, although Sir Alex Ferguson might not have been too happy at the way his side failed to cruise home after Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha had put them two in front at the break.

• Fergie eyes title

For 12 nervy minutes after Hatem Trabelsi's magnificent effort had breathed fresh life into a contest which saw City battle hard without ever looking likely to win, United were a bundle of nerves.

But Ronaldo calmed them by turning home Rooney's cross six minutes from the end, before Bernardo Corradi was sent off at the death.

Having already established a six-point lead over a Chelsea side who face Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, there was much more than just local pride at stake for Ferguson's men.

City made their intentions known from the start as Joey Barton clattered into Ronaldo in the opening seconds.

It was the type of treatment Ferguson has long lamented and, given Barton escaped with a warning, it was a little surprising Ben Thatcher was booked for merely blocking off the Portugal winger a little later on.

By that time, though, Ronaldo had already played a major role in giving United the flying start they craved.

A major criticism of the youngster is his failure to spot an early pass. No such allegation could be made against him on this occasion, though, as he seized possession by the right touchline and instantly spotted Rooney unmarked inside the City box.

The cross was accurate but Sylvain Distin should really have cut it out. Instead, the ball rolled underneath the Frenchman's outstretched leg, straight to Rooney, who gleefully drilled home his eighth goal of the campaign.

He might have had a second not long afterwards too as he strode onto Saha's through ball. This time, though, Distin was fully alive to the danger and used all his pace to get back and deny the England man a shooting chance.

It was the kind of last-ditch defending City had to do on more than one occasion, yet, despite the speed of United's attacking play, the visitors enjoyed just as much possession, with Barton, turning out despite a recent family bereavement, impressing.

Twice they might have equalised thanks to the prodigious talent of Micah Richards.

Unfortunately for the Blues, on the first occasion, when the 18-year-old won two separate headers inside the United box, Richards was wide of the target.

On the second Richards might have found the net had Georgios Samaras not stopped the ball with his back to goal barely two yards out before turning and scooping his own shot over.

It proved to be a costly miss as United extended their lead before half-time when Blues skipper Richard Dunne was robbed of possession close to his own box.

Instantly, Gabriel Heinze swept the cross into the City box, allowing Saha to bundle home with the aid of a ricochet off Nicky Weaver and the underside of the bar.

Given City's dismal scoring record this term, it should have been game over. It certainly appeared so for most of the second half as United dominated.

The hosts had another keeper as Andreas Isaksson, dogged by injury since his summer arrival from Rennes, was handed his debut after Weaver succumbed to a blow he picked up trying to keep out Saha's goal.

Isaksson got plenty of chance to show City boss Stuart Pearce what he has been missing, three times denying Rooney alone, the last effort a superb point-blank stop after Ryan Giggs - on his historic 688th appearance - had picked him out with a far-post cross.

The value of Isaksson's efforts became apparent when Trabelsi, shown inside by an unsuspecting United defence, let rip with a thunderous 20-yard shot Van der Sar had little chance of keeping out.

All of a sudden, even though Richards was forced out of the battle with a serious-looking injury, there was an obvious state of nervousness among the United team, not helped by the fact that six minutes before City had scored, Ferguson had replaced Saha with John O'Shea, leaving Rooney and Ronaldo as their only attacking outlet.

The Red Devils lived on the edge until redemption arrived when Rooney turned onto Gary Neville's pass and drove over a cross that flicked off Dunne, straight into the path of Ronaldo, who finished off from close range.

Fergie eyes title

Sir Alex Ferguson sees no reason why Manchester United cannot thwart Chelsea and win the Premiership this season.

The Old Trafford manager, speaking after the 3-1 win over Manchester City, hailed United`s team spirit and finishing which puts the Red Devils nine points clear of Chelsea.

'We are playing well, our form is terrific, and I`m pleased,' Ferguson said.

'There is plenty for us to navigate but hopefully we have the ability. I don`t see why we can`t do it.

'We had fantastic opportunities but at other times we had to fight and scrap. City are such a big team and you have to deal with that. They are difficult to play against.

'Van der Sar had two great saves to make and we had to earn the right to win.'

Ferguson conceded his players 'legs were going a little bit' after City scored, but added: 'We showed great determination when it really mattered and finished the game off.'

Chelsea play Arsenal at Stamford Bridge tomorrow and Ferguson will be a Gunners fan for the day!

He said: 'We can relax and watch the game and support the Gunners.

'It will be a tight game, a hard game between two great sides. Hopefully we will be in a better position after the match.'

Now, Ferguson must sit back and see how far Chelsea can claw back the Red Devils advantage in the three games they play before United are in action again, starting with the visit of Arsene Wenger's men to Stamford Bridge.

'I will be supporting the Gunners for a change,' confirmed Ferguson.

'They are two great sides but hopefully we will be in an even better position tomorrow evening.'

Ferguson is refusing to get carried away by United's lead, the first time Chelsea have been so far adrift since Jose Mourinho arrived at the club in 2004.

The Scot still believes the title race will end up being a closely-fought affair.

Although, having come through a tough week which started with a trip to Middlesbrough, before facing Benfica in a make-or-break Champions League decider, then tackling their fierce local rivals, Ferguson believes United have proved a point.

'We have had a tough spell,' he said.

'I am sure people thought we might drop something this week. But, credit to the players, they have done well even though fatigue was beginning to take hold at the end a little bit.

'We should have put the game to bed in the second half but unfortunately we didn't take our chances and we could have suffered because of it,' said Ferguson.