Edin Džeko ✔ @EdDzeko
After second goal last night,even cameraman was happy for us
@mcfc @SamNasri19 #derby #win #manchester #is #blue
Zabaleta: We have our title momentum back
City full back hails the Blues defence as the season approaches a thrilling climax
Manchester City have their mojo back...just in time for a final surge towards the league title.
While the national media has pored over United’s poverty in the derby, City hero Pablo Zabaleta invited everyone to look at just how good City were.
And the Argentine full-back, who limped away from Old Trafford after a battering which might have earned Danny Welbeck and Marouane Fellaini red cards, believes City have now recaptured their best form .
Indeed, he feels that the defence has also found its feet, racking up five consecutive clean sheets, the first time City have managed that since the promotion campaign of 1985.
“Defensively we are keeping clean sheets, and that is something that has made the team better – we know we have enough quality up front to win games, and that we can score at any moment in games,” said Zabaleta, a key figure in that tightening of the defence.
“As a team we look really solid, and that is important at this stage of the season.”
The Blues have not conceded in the league since Branislav Ivanovic’s bolt from the blue gave Chelsea victory at the Etihad Stadium on February 3.
The much-maligned Martin Demichelis is winning fans over with a series of solid performances, skipper Vincent Kompany has been magnificent and left-backs Gael Clichy and Aleks Kolarov have both stepped up, while Joe Hart has chipped in with some vital saves.
With the midfield in imperious form, Sergio Aguero fighting to return at Arsenal on Saturday and Edin Dzeko re-discovering his ruthless streak, the omens look good for the Blues.
After the lull in their goalscoring form caused by injury woes for Aguero and Stevan Jovetic, and loss of form by Alvaro Negredo and Dzeko, City have totted up 10 in their last three games, back to the average which threatened to smash all records back in December.
“It’s been important that we got our momentum back,” said Zabaleta. “It’s also important that our strikers are coming back to their best form, and that they keep scoring goals.
“Edin was fantastic and scored two goals, the midfield has been brilliant at supporting the defenders and attacking, and the back four has been fantastic again.
“We know if we play as a team we can beat anyone, and that win at Old Trafford was important.”
In many ways, Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat was a better display than the famous 6-1 mauling in 2011.
And Zabaleta believes that if City can keep their foot on the gas, they will again cross the finishing line in first place.
“It was a great performance,” he said. “We are coming back to our best form, and we know we need to keep playing like that until the end of the season. We want to win the league and it depends entirely on us. If we keep playing like that, we have a big chance.
“The manager knows he has a great squad. And we know we have a great team to win games, but also a great squad to win titles.
“The manager knows that and is doing a great job at the moment. It’s his first year in the Premier League and, hopefully, we can celebrate with some trophies at the end of the season.”
City have perhaps had the toughest run-in, but Zabaleta maintains that if the Blues keep up their current form, they will amass the points necessary to finish on top.
“At the beginning of the season, people were talking about three teams, United, Chelsea and City,” he said. “But we also have Arsenal, who drew on Tuesday night, and Liverpool, so it’s very tight at the top.
“We need to go to Anfield and to Everton, and our next game is at Arsenal, so we have some difficult games. But we just need to keep belief and know that if we play as a team we can win all of those games.”
City's derby win: Five things we learned
After the Blues convincingly beat United, here are five things learned about Manuel Pellegrini's team.
Guess who's back
The Blues won 5-0 at Fulham on Saturday but for a decent stretch of the game were involved in a battle. The sense that Manchester City weren't at their best - and hadn't been for quite some time - was still there. Not any more - this performance smashed a poor Reds side but any Premier League side would have had trouble coping with them. If City play like this for the rest of the season, the title will surely be theirs.
Fernandinho (finally) getting acclaim
The Brazilian may have won praise from the Sky team but he has been the unsung hero of the City side all season. Manuel Pellegrini's men have generally struggled when the midfielder has been injured. His control of the game was impressive against Manchester United and his pass to lay on the first goal perfectly weighted. If these performances earn him a World Cup berth it will be just reward for his efforts.
Nasri reborn
Samir Nasri was everywhere on the pitch. The Frenchman buzzed about, always happy to receive the ball and take players on, and his eagerness and awareness helped set up the first goal. Last year's derby was possibly the low point of Nasri's time at City, and after his goal in the game in September the question was put whether that would be redemption. Nasri has shown this season the difference when he plays with a smile on his face, and City now have another gem in their team.
Hart turnaround
The Reds did have their chance in an open game but Joe Hart ensured that the risk was minimised. The England number one never dropped his concentration, was strong punching clear from corners and showed great reactions to deny Danny Welbeck in the second half. Dropping him looks to have been a masterstroke from Pellegrini as the stopper is now growing back to the first-rate player he can be.
Switched on
There has been criticism at times this season that City have paid too little attention to their opponents before the game and it has cost them, as against Wigan say. Not here. The Blues were switched on from the first minute and poured forward through United's flimsy defences. The early goal definitely helped but from the off City put pressure on the Reds and unsettled them, giving the Blues the momentum and control of the game. It was a very good plan executed extremely well.
Marouane Fellaini explains his elbow on Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta
Marouane Fellaini has claimed his elbow on Pablo Zabaleta was not on purpose and that it was not done in an aggressive manner.
The Belgian was lucky to stay on the pitch as Michael Oliver had a clear view of Fellaini’s elbow but chose to be extremely lenient on him by only handing out a yellow card (not that it changed the outcome of the game anyway).
‘I don’t know, but I certainly didn’t do it on purpose,” Fellaini told the Daily Mail.
“I put my arm up to try and protect possession of the ball, and Zabaleta bounced (his jaw) against it. He was unlucky to make contact.
‘The movement by me was not in an aggressive manner. It was a defensive move to protect the ball.”
Antonio Valencia tries to escape after being told he's coming on.
[spoiler]Misse Beqiri - Anders Lindegaard's Girlfriend.
[/spoiler]Tottenham Hotspur hope to beat Liverpool to the signing of Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi, 21. Metro
Chelsea are keen to sign Atletico Madrid's Spain international striker Diego Costa, 25, in a £40m summer deal. DSSC
Christian Benteke's Aston Villa future won't be certain until after the World Cup, the 23-year-old Belgium international's agent has claimed. Daily Mirror
Southampton and England left-back Luke Shaw, 18, is a target for Real Madrid, who are confident of beating Chelsea and Manchester United to sign him. Daily Mirror
Borussia Dortmund are pondering a move for Spurs defender Vlad Chiriches, 24, who is valued at £8m. Sun
Spurs and Arsenal are vying for the services of Nuremberg's Switzerland international striker Josip Drmic, 21, who has scored 11 times for the Bundesliga outfit this season. Talkshit
Sheffield Wednesday boss Stuart Gray has refused to rule out a summer move for Sunderland striker Connor Wickham, 20, who played on loan for the Owls earlier this season. Sheffield Star
Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal would be an ideal manager for Manchester United if David Moyes is sacked, according to Ajax youth coach and former Dutch international Ronald de Boer. Metro
But United are sticking by Moyes despite fan unrest following Tuesday's 3-0 derby defeat against Manchester City. Daily Mirror
Former United star Gary Neville has warned that spending big in the transfer market will not solve the problems that have beset the Old Trafford club. Daily Star
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was shocked by the booing that greeted his side from their own fans at half-time of Tuesday night's draw with Swansea City at Emirates Stadium. Daily Express
Former Nottingham Forest and England defender Stuart Pearce, 51, is mulling over the chance to succeed Billy Davies at the City Ground after reportedly speaking to club owner Fawaz Al Hasawi. Nottingham Post
Ross Barkley, 20, has been backed by his Everton team-mate Leon Osman to shine for England at the World Cup finals. Daily Telegraph
Aston Villa will give forward Gabriel Agbonlahor, 27, a four-year contract this summer. Daily Telegraph
Former Leeds United owner Ken Bates, 82, has told the club's owners GFH to "get out of the way" amid growing confusion about the future at Elland Road. Sky Sports
Ruud Gullit, 51, is confident his former club Chelsea have what it takes to win a Champions League and Premier League double this season. Sun
Manchester United's Davide Petrucci, 22, is a target for Charlton Athletic, who hope to sign the Italian midfielder on loan. South London Press
Former Barcelona star Diego Maradona believes Argentine forward Lionel Messi, 26, could leave the Nou Camp for European champions Bayern Munich. Marca
Juventus's 26-year-old Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal says he is confident of winning the Champions League with the Italian side, dismissing rumours of a summer move to Real Madrid. Tuttosport
Stoke City are keen to sign Wolfsburg's 34-year-old Croat striker Ivican Olic but could face competition from German club Hamburg. Bild
Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target Jeremy Menez, 26, has hinted that he may join Juventus from Paris St-Germain this summer. L'Equipe
A group of Manchester United fans are trying to raise enough money for a plane to fly an anti-David Moyes banner over Old Trafford during this Saturday's Premier League home match against Aston Villa. Manchester Evening News
Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane says he regrets not carrying on his education while he made his name as a footballer. Irish Independent
more bollox shortly
