AT THE final whistle, the body language of the players told everyone what it meant. These were the moments that Manchester City will treasure, enjoying the view from the top of the Premier League and determined to milk the moment. Roberto Mancini could be seen roaring to the skies. Vincent Kompany, the scorer of the decisive goal, was on his knees, pumping his fists.

For Manchester United, the night had turned into an ordeal. Their performance had been anaemic, scarcely troubling Joe Hart’s goal, and at the end the players in red shirts just stood around, not sure what to do with themselves, like car-crash victims on the hard shoulder.

Three weeks ago, this City team had lost at Arsenal and a five-point lead at the top of the table had turned into an eight-point deficit in little more than a month. Now they are back at the summit, with only two games to go. What we might have seen here was United’s 20th title slipping through their grasp. In the process City are on the cusp of their first since 1968.

It was a wild, chaotic night that spent up so many different emotions. There have been far better games this season but none has had so much riding on it. In the blue corner, the most financially endowed club on the planet. In the red corner, serial champions with no desire to share the stage with anyone.

This was the 163rd time these clubs have met and it would never be possible to rank them in order of drama and intrigue. Never before, though, has this occasion carried such significance or meaning, and that ensured it was not just the usual raucous partisanship. There was something else, amid the unrelenting noise, that made the adrenaline pump. More than anything, it was tension, in a rare, acute form.

For long spells this was football played at the speed of ice hockey. Nobody wanted to give an inch and when it is that frenetic it is inevitable that passes were going to be misplaced and decisions rushed. The first half, in particular, lacked goalmouth excitement. In fact, there had not been a single moment in the opening 45 minutes when either goalkeeper had been required to make a noteworthy save.

Then the electronic board was held up to show there would be two minutes of stoppage time. David Silva’s corner was delivered with pace, with just the right trajectory, whipped towards the six-yard line. Kompany was the one player in a congested penalty area who was decisive and the ball was in the net and Kompany was running to the far corner to celebrate.

The team in red had settled first but United’s midfield trio of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick – combined age, 105 – started the game in a manner that reminded us they have the superior big-game experience. This was the 4-2-3-1 formation that Ferguson likes to operate in Europe, when he is happy to use ploys of conservatism. Wayne Rooney was alone in attack, full of hard running but often isolated.

Except, of course, United have had a pretty shocking time in Europe this season.

What Ferguson could never have imagined was that the game would reach its finale without his team having seriously threatened Hart’s goal. For the most part, Ferguson remained in his seat but then De Jong hacked down Welbeck, a 57th-minute substitute, and it was then we saw the raw emotion of the night.

Ferguson’s ire was directed at the referee at first but it quickly descended into a finger-jabbing session with Mancini that required various coaches and other staff to get in the middle.

At one point Mancini was gesturing with his right hand that Ferguson did too much yapping. Their relationship might not get over this row but that is for another day. The banner here said: “The Noisy Neighbours are Getting Louder, Alex.”

Premier League: How they stand

PWDLFAPts

Man City362655882783

Man Utd362655863383

Arsenal3620610684466

Tottenham351889593962

Newcastle351889534662

Chelsea3517108623961

REMAINING FIXTURES

Manchester Utd

May 6th: v Swansea (h)

May 13th: v Sunderland (a)

Manchester City

May 6th: v Newcastle (a)

May 13th: v QPR (h)

Guardian Service