text: Too strong, too hungry and too powerful. All over the field Manchester United were superior. It has been a while since we have said that, in this fixture at least. A season that seemed to be heading nowhere when Arsenal defeated them in the FA Cup last month will perhaps now be remembered for a return to European football and also for this, a victory over their neighbours that was even more complete, more absolute, than the scoreline suggests. United used to do this to City all the time. They used to bully them, pass through them, demoralise them and embarrass them. But not since 2009-10 when United beat City twice in the Barclays Premier League and edged a League Cup semi-final have they brutalised them like this. Old Trafford roars with Marouane Fellaini after the influential Belgian gave the Red Devils an advantage they never looked like relinquishing . Fellaini leaps to meet man-of-the-match Ashley Young's superb cross with a thumping header to send Old Trafford into a state of euphoria . City's defence was caught flatfooted and Joe Hart could only watch as Fellaini's header flew into the net on a great day for the hosts . Juan Mata was released by Wayne Rooney and the Spaniard ran through to shoot between Hart's legs to extend the host's advantage . Mata once again showed his value to the side and pointed the way with a display full of energy, poise and intelligence . Chris Smalling showed his hunger to beat a lethargic City defence to Young's free-kick to add a fourth to give the score more gloss . All of United's outfield players congratulate Smalling after his close-range header ensured the red side of Manchester has bragging rights . Young latches on to a loose ball which bounced off Gael Clichy and fires past the despairing dive of Hart to level matters . Wayne Rooney cannons the ball into the net in celebration to release a shower of water as Juan Mata and Young charge to the sidelines . Sergio Aguero finishes off a surgical move for the opener, tapping David Silva's cross into the empty net to give the visitors hope . The United defence looked at sixes and sevens as David de Gea fumes after conceding an early goal to their City rivals . Aguero made it a double late of, latching on to Pablo Zabaleta's cross, but City leave Old Trafford with very little to cheer about . Time will tell what the ramifications will be. United will surely take third place in the league. That looks a certainty now. For City, everything suddenly seems unclear, including their manager’s position and their own place in the top four. Here at a rapturous Old Trafford, United played like a team that had been waiting for this day. City looked like a team waiting for the season to end. City actually bookended this game with two very good goals, Sergio Aguero scoring in the eighth and 88th minutes. What happened in between, however, served to confirm recent indications that United have finally found their true selves while City have fallen off the edge of the proverbial cliff. The home team had all the game’s best players. Marouane Fellaini, Ashley Young, Daley Blind and Juan Mata were all excellent and key to events. City, on the other hand, hardly had a player who will reflect on this comfortably. For 10 minutes, City were excellent. They have grown used to coming here and starting like this. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-1-41): De Gea 6.5, Valencia 6.5, Smalling 6.5, Jones 6 (Rojo 75), Blind 6, Carrick 7, Mata 7 (Di Maria 81), Ander Herrera 6, Fellaini 7.5 (Falcao 83), Young 8, Rooney 6.5. Subs not used: Da Silva, Januzaj, Valdes, McNair. Goals: Young 14, Fellaini 28, Mata 67, Smalling 73 . MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-1-1): Hart 5.5, Zabaleta 6, Kompany 5 (Mangala 46), Demichelis 6, Clichy 5, Jesus Navas 5 (Lampard 73), Toure 6, Fernandinho 5.5, Milner 5.5 (Nasri 63), Silva 6, Aguero 7. Subs not used: Fernando, Dzeko, Kolarov, Caballero. Booked: Milner, Silva, Kompany . Goals: Aguero 8, 89 . Referee: Mark Clattenburg . Attendance: 75,313 . Man of the match: Ashley Young . Ratings by Chris Wheeler . United never looked back after Fellaini's goal. Check out more from Match Zone . Manuel Pellegrini shifts uncomfortably in his seat during a torrid afternoon for his rudderless side, who are now six points behind United . Yaya Toure, who was anonymous all afternoon, trudges towards the centre circle after City concede another goal to the Red Devils . Many felt Vincent Kompany was fortunate to escape with just a booking after this challenge on Daley Blind just before the half-time whistle . The Dutchman flew into the air after Kompany's stud high tackle just before the break and many felt he was lucky to just receive a booking . Mark Clattenburg books the City captain, who was substituted immediately after half-time . Last season Edin Dzeko scored early and the game finished 3-0. This time, a move began by Gael Clichy and soon joined by a David Silva dash to the by-line was finished off by Aguero. A goal ahead and with three clear chances already to reflect on, City seemed to have given themselves a platform while United looked hesitant. Silva seemed to be readying himself for a stellar afternoon. United, though, have been running hot on belief recently and that has made an enormous difference to their play. The fact they managed to fashion an equaliser from a position of vulnerability spoke volumes. Goalkeeper David de Gea actually looked to be in trouble as Jesus Navas attempted to run on to a short back-pass in the 14th minute and the ensuing clearance was more of a hack than a measured pass to the left wing. But when Fellaini won a challenge with Pablo Zabaleta opportunity suddenly beckoned. The ball broke to Ander Herrera and when he crossed to the near post Young edged his dual with Clichy to nudge the ball over the line after it broke off both of them. Wayne Rooney leaps onto Fellaini's back after United take the lead through the big Belgian, who has had an excellent renaissance recently . Ander Herrera skips inside fellow countryman David Silva during another decent showing from the Spaniard, who pulled the strings . Mata gives Gael Clichy something to think about as the mercurial Spaniard plots another attack for the hosts . Coming at a time when United had looked weak, the psychological effects of the equaliser were immediate and far reaching. The momentum of the game shifted towards red and City never managed to reverse it. United were not particularly fluent and it was, for a while, a tight game played in an atmosphere that reflected the stakes. However, the home team looked to have more energy, more purpose and more conviction. This is what confidence does to a team and by the 21st minute they were in the lead. This time, City had to ask themselves questions and over the remainder of the game it became a theme. The threat in the air from Fellaini was obvious but somehow he managed to isolate Clichy at the far post as Young crossed above the head of the taller Martin Demichelis, who was essentially marking nobody. It was, as the bare facts suggest, a mismatch and Fellaini powered above his opponent to head the ball through Joe Hart and in to the corner. Less than a quarter of the game had gone but already the road back for City looked long. From that point on until Aguero’s late consolation, City hardly made a chance. Aguero finished off an incisive City move which cut through United's defence in an impressive opening spell . United went back to basics for the leveller, with Young pouncing after Herrera's cross hit Gael Clichy . United exploited City's right wing for their second too, with Young and Daley Blind combining to great effect . Intelligent play from Rooney set up the third, with Mata darting through and coolly slotting home . Smalling rose unmarked to head Young's free-kick beyond Hart to make it 4-1 for rampant United . Aguero gave a semblance of respectability to the scoreline by meeting Pablo Zabaleta's cross late on . As half-time neared, their captain Vincent Kompany could have been sent off for a lunge at Blind. As it was, he strained a muscle making the challenge and didn’t reappear for a second period that began with Hart saving Wayne Rooney’s free-kick and then Michael Carrick’s follow-up. City desperately needed a foothold but couldn’t find one. They enjoyed some possession but conviction was absent and when Demichelis dashed senselessly from his position Blind and Rooney were able to pick up the pieces to play in Mata, who looked offside, for the decisive third goal. From here on in, only the winning margin was in doubt and when Chris Smalling ran off Demichelis’s shoulder to head in the fourth from a Young free-kick anything seemed possible. As it turned out the final act belonged to Aguero — Zabaleta the provider this time — and the winning margin settled at a rather modest two. That doesn’t tell the story, though. United were dominant and, at times, rather rampant. For the first time in a while, they held City in their grip. Afterwards, Louis van Gaal suggested he would spend the evening at his favourite Manchester restaurant, Wings. It was appropriate. His team, finally, are in flight. Sir Alex Ferguson returned to his old stomping ground to see his former charges beat the 'noisy neighbours' Roy Hodgson shares a joke before kick-off and will have been pleased with several performances . United co-chairmen Avram Glazer (right) was also in the stands to see a vital derby victory .
target: Aguero opened scoring in the 8th minute, tapping in Silva's pinpoint cross .
  Young levels minutes six minutes later, reacting to a loose ball in the box .
  Fellaini nods in Young's cross for his sixth of the season in the 28th minute .
  Mata punished weak City defending to add a breakaway third in the 66th .
  An unmarked Smalling nodded home Young's free-kick to make it four .
  Aguero finished Zabaleta's cross to add a his second late on .
  Vincent Kompany's challenge on Daley Blind attracted criticism - and a booking - and he was subbed after half-time .
  City had won the last four Manchester derbies but sank to their fourth defeat in six Premier League games .
  For United, this was a sixth successive win, and a hugely impressive one .
  View all the stats and pitch maps from the game with our Match Zone .
  READ: Ashley Young laughs at Manchester City as Manchester United silence 'noisy neighbours' with big derby win .