#PLmoments - Vincent Kompany scores vital derby winner

Captain's powerful header sets Blues on way to first title for 44 years

It's hard to imagine a more tense derby than the one that took place at The Etihad Stadium on April 30th, 2012. Just three weeks earlier, City's title challenge appeared to be over after an away defeat at Arsenal left the Blues eight points behind rivals United with just six games remaining. Alex Ferguson's teams, we were constantly reminded, were stronger in the second half of the season and it seemed a formality that they would win the league at a canter.

However, an unexpected away defeat to Wigan Athletic allowed the Blues to close the gap to five points with a comfortable 4-0 win against West Bromwich Albion. When United then let a 4-2 lead slip at home to Everton, belief was growing in the blue half of Manchester and City cut the gap further by winning 2-0 at Molineux.

Roberto Mancini's side now trailed their neighbours by three points, but had a far superior goal difference thanks, in part, to the 6-1 derby annihilation at Old Trafford earlier in the season. The two sides met at The Etihad Stadium on a balmy April evening, and the stakes couldn't have been higher with just three games remaining. A win for City would leave the title in their own hands, whereas a victory for United would effectively secure the league.

United played for the draw, and failed to muster a single attempt on target. Their negative approach was punished just before half-time when City's captain Vincent Kompany outjumped the hapless Chris Smalling and thundered a header past David de Gea in the United goal. The Blues held on and the rest, as they say, is history.

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