Manchester City 2 Manchester United 1:It may only be half time in the all Mancunian Carling Cup semi-final but Carlos Tevez made his point loud and clear against his former employers at Eastlands tonight, ensuring the blue side of the city drew first blood ahead of the return leg in eight days time.
The Argentinean scored twice to cancel out Ryan Giggs's first half opener and remind Alex Ferguson of the quality he allowed leave Old Trafford last season. United captain Gary Neville had suggested in the build-up to the match that Ferguson was right to allow the Argentina striker to leave. He was promptly 'shushed' by his former team-mate after he equalised from the spot.
To add insult to injury Tevez cupped his ears towards the crowd after heading home his second, just like he did last year when encouraging the adulation of United fans, having seemingly been snubbed by the manager and moneymen at United.
City midfielder Gareth Barry told BBC 1 afterwards: “Obviously the talk was about Carlos before the game and he did his talking on the pitch with a great performance.
“That’s the way it’s written sometimes and the way Carlos works, he deserves it.”
Given also took a share of the plaudits, and Barry was happy to add his own praise for the Republic of Ireland star.
He continued: “We knew, as individuals, we were all going to have to dig deep. Shay has performed well as well so we’re delighted with the tie.
“It’s still in the balance, it’s half-time obviously, and we expect a tough game at Old Trafford. They’re going to push on and give all they can, and we’re going to expect a battle again."
For a good half an hour, it appeared Ferguson had got his tactics spot-on. Although Wayne Rooney was a lone frontman, the extra man further back meant United were able to dominate midfield.
Valencia hugged one flank, Giggs rolled back the years on the other, and between them Darren Fletcher, Anderson and Michael Carrick passed the ball around City heads going dizzy as they tried to keep up.
Rooney had already been denied from close range once when he got on the end of Patrice Evra’s shot, only for rookie defender Dedryck Boyata to make the block.
So when a similar effort from the England star was turned away by Given after Valencia had skipped past his marker, it was a first victory for the Irishman in what turned into a personal duel.
The rebound, however, rolled into the path of Giggs, the 36-year-old who has appeared in more of these matches than anyone else, and from three yards he took his first derby goal since 1996.
At that stage, City looked as though they were going to be completely outplayed, but slowly the tide began to turn.
Tevez wasted a glorious chance when Shaun Wright-Phillips picked him out with a superb curling cross, then Micah Richards thudded a headed into Boyata’s back after Bellamy had been the provider.
In the end, City needed a controversial penalty to get their equaliser. Controversial in the sense Rafael was outside the area when he began an extended tug of Bellamy’s shirt.
The offence was clear enough and as the Brazilian teenager - the one youngster Ferguson eventually picked - was inside the box when he let go, referee Mike Dean felt a spot-kick was the suitable punishment.
Van der Sar used all his experience to try to put Tevez off. But the former United man was not having any off it and eventually stepped up to confidently ram home the penalty into the top of the net.
Tevez had enough dignity not to celebrate directly in front of the fans who bellowed ‘Fergie, sign him up’ from the Stretford End last year.
But the sight of Gary Neville was too much to resist and Tevez delivered a ‘shut your mouth’ hand gesture to his former skipper, who backed Ferguson’s decision to get rid of the Argentinean.
For all the understandable focus on Tevez, the most influential man on the pitch was Given, who turned away yet another point-blank effort when Giggs got his head to Rooney’s deep cross.
The worth of that save did not become apparent until City’s next attack when Vincent Kompany hooked a wayward Pablo Zabaleta’s shot straight onto Tevez’s head.
As he scored and Eastlands erupted, the striker this time immediately raced to the home dug-out and cupped his ears, in exactly the same manner he did when he scored for United in a Premier League meeting between these two sides late last season, when the Old Trafford crowd’s demand for him to stay was at its peak.
Just yards away, Ferguson stared straight ahead, chewing his gum furiously. Again the chant was “sign him up”. This time it was City doing the singing.
Tevez’s work was done. Given still had more to do. Rooney was denied three more times as United laid siege at the end looking for an equaliser.
They still have another 90 minutes to get one. But Tevez will want more as well.