Rooney takes United to Wembley

Wayne Rooney headed Manchester United to Wembley with an injury-time winner to beat Manchester City 3-1 on the night, 4-3 on aggregate.

The England striker settled a pulsating Carling Cup semi-final when he turned home Ryan Giggs' cross from close range at Old Trafford.

United had already been pegged back once when Carlos Tevez scored to haul City level on aggregate after Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick had found the net either side of half-time.

Villa booked their place in the final last week, when they beat Blackburn Rovers 6-4 in the their semi-final second leg at Villa Park.

The final will take place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 28th February.

We dont miss Carlos Tevez : Ryan Giggs

RYAN GIGGS is the latest player to say that Manchester United do not miss Carlos Tevez — the day after the Argentine destroyed them.

Former Old Trafford darling Tevez grabbed both the goals for rivals Manchester City last night in a 2-1 win at Eastlands in the Carling Cup semi-final first-leg.

But United stand-in captain Giggs said: "There are no regrets.

"Carlos is a good player and he is a good penalty taker. If he gets chances he scores.

"We know what Carlos is all about but he chose to go to City. That is the end of it.

"We have quality players at the club and we have shown that."

Manchester City vs Manchester United (2-1) Carling Cup Semi Final

Manchester City 0 Manchester United 1 (RYAN GIGGS)

Manchester City 1 Manchester United 1 (CARLOS TEVEZ)

Manchester City 2 Manchester United 1 (CARLOS TEVEZ)

CARLOS TEVEZ taunted Gary Neville as he destroyed United.

Tevez netted twice, just hours after Neville claimed he was not worth £25million.

Goal celebration No 1 saw the City hitman gesture at United sub Neville to shut up.

Goal celebration No 2 saw an elated Tevez run to the visitors' dugout and mockingly cup his ears.

Tevez moved to Eastlands in the summer, claiming Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson did not want him.

Outspoken Neville reckoned Fergie had got it spot-on by refusing to pay £25m for the striker.

And how that fired up Tevez for this Carling Cup semi-final first leg.

On 42 minutes he netted from the spot after Rafael was adjudged to have fouled Craig Bellamy. He followed that with his snipe at Neville.

After 65 minutes, the Argentine headed in No 2 and then charged off to celebrate in front of the United bench.

Ryan Giggs had put United ahead on 17 minutes, tapping into an empty net after Shay Given had parried Wayne Rooney's shot.

Tevez said: "It was special for me to get two goals tonight. It was for the fans of City."

And City midfielder Gareth Barry added: "It was a great performance from Carlos. The way he works, he deserves it."

City are now eyeing a final date with Aston Villa or Blackburn at Wembley on February 28.

But first it is sure to be a white-hot atmosphere at Old Trafford on Wednesday for the second leg, with United angry that ref Mike Dean awarded City their penalty.

TV pundit Alan Shearer said: "It was a foul outside the box. I don't think there was a foul inside the box."

But fellow pundit Alan Hansen added: "I thought United were there for the taking. Defensively, they were all over the place."

Manchester City could one day knock Manchester United off their pedestal as England's biggest club

Mancini will experience his first local derby at Eastlands on Tuesday knowing victory in the two-legged semi-final would secure City a place in a major domestic showpiece for the first time since 1981.

Given the amounts of cash owner Sheikh Mansour has already invested, with the promise of much more to come, it seems only a matter of time before a 34-year trophy drought comes to an end as well.

And, given United's much-publicised financial restraints, there are some who feel it is also only a matter of time before the Red Devils are usurped as top dogs.

It may seem improbable given United have joined Liverpool on 18 titles by winning 11 since the Premier League was formed in 1992, but Mancini does not believe it is beyond the realms of possibility.
"If we work well, it is possible," said the Italian.

"United have a big history. They have been a good team for many years.
"City can become a big team in the next year. It is most important that we get into the top four.
"That would change the situations. Surely it would be better if City were also a big club in the future because then Manchester could have two clubs in the Champions League."

That is the stated aim for this season, although, having scrambled into a top-four berth last weekend, City promptly fell straight back out of it again on Saturday when they were beaten at Everton.

It was Mancini's first loss, made more notable for a recurrence of Roque Santa Cruz's calf injury after just four minutes that will keep him out for at least a month and his replacement, Robinho, being substituted himself early in the second half as Shaun Wright-Phillips was introduced.

The move has been interpreted as a clear signal Mancini is not impressed by the £32.5million Brazilian's lack of effort and it is once again being suggested Robinho is heading for the Eastlands exit door, if not this month then next summer.

Mancini tried to play down such talk, although he hardly helped matters with an unfavourable comparison to Carlos Tevez.

"It was a bad night for us all. Robinho can play well but it is not always possible and on Saturday he played the same as his team-mates.

"When I put Wright-Phillips on I had to take a striker off because I cannot keep five forwards on the pitch.
"I had to decide between Robinho and Carlos."

In truth, the conclusion was an obvious one and Mancini will be pinning his hopes on Tevez to do some damage to his old club, having left Old Trafford in such acrimonious circumstances last summer.

"I hope that Carlos can score goals because he is an ex-United player," said Mancini.
"But it is important that the squad plays well. And we must not forget this match is over two games."

As Patrick Vieira's debut is on hold until he recovers from the calf injury he picked up immediately before his move from Inter Milan, Mancini is probably relieved Stephen Ireland is at least fit enough to take up a place on the bench after missing three matches with a hamstring problem.

Mancini admitted his first taste of defeat in England left him feeling angry - not so much with his team's performance, which was poor, but purely because he is a bad loser.

However, he has been made aware of a far more tense situation at United, where the financial restraints imposed by the Glazer family's controversial takeover have been laid bare.

Not that Mancini expects that to have any impact tomorrow.

"Manchester United have been on the top for many years," he said.

"It is not important if they have problems.

"On a pitch there are only players, not money."