Sweet revenge as United ousts City

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Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates goal against Manchester City during a FA Cup match on Jan.8, 2012.[Source:Sina.com]

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United celebrates goal against Manchester City during a FA Cup third-round match at the Etihad Stadium on Jan.8, 2012.[Source:Sina.com]

Manchester United withstood a furious fightback by 10-man Manchester City to beat its local rival 3-2 in a dramatic FA Cup third-round match at the Etihad Stadium yesterday.

United surged into a 3-0 halftime lead after the controversial early sending-off of City defender Vincent Kompany and looked poised to exact full revenge for its humiliating 1-6 Premier League drubbing by its neighbors this season.

But goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Sergio Aguero gave City hope and United needed the calming presence of 37-year-old Paul Scholes, on as a second-half substitute after coming out of retirement, to knock out the FA Cup holders at the third-round stage for the first time since 2007.

On Saturday, Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez scored the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Newcastle snatched a 2-1 victory over Blackburn.

In the day's biggest giantkilling act, fourth-tier Swindon, managed by former West Ham forward Paolo Di Canio, rallied to beat Wigan 2-1.

It wasn't all plain sailing for the rest of the Premier League teams either.

Queens Park Rangers required a last-minute equalizer by Heidar Helguson to secure a 1-1 draw and a replay against third-tier MK Dons while David Wheater's 77th-minute header earned Bolton a 2-2 draw at Macclesfield, which plays in England's fourth division.

Tottenham, which is third in the Premier League, avoided what would have been the mightiest upset by easing past fourth-tier Cheltenham 3-0 thanks to goals by attacking trio Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Giovani dos Santos.

Everton beat Tamworth 2-0 and fellow fifth-tier team Fleetwood was thrashed 5-1 at home by Blackpool.

Clint Dempsey scored a hat-trick in Fulham's 4-0 home win over Charlton, Ireland striker Simon Cox did the same for West Bromwich Albion in a 4-2 win at Cardiff City while Premier League teams Aston Villa, Stoke and Norwich also progressed.

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