THE VERDICT: CITY 2 UNITED 3 Bubbly is on ice, but don’t feel too flat...

UNITED MAY HAVE SPOILT PEP’S TITLE PARTY, BUT THERE’S STILL HOPE FOR EUROPEAN COMEBACK

Back at left-back and showed what City have been missing – sound at the back and a great attacking option. Brilliant turn and shot for City’s second, and he brushed off his Anfield nightmare with a fine first-half display. Masterful first half, bossing the midfield and splitting the United defence. He was City’s best player in both halves. Herrera tried to mark him out of the game in the first half some chance of that. But Silva looked jaded after half-time. Tough to mark as he was a constant menace to the United defence – but he missed two glorious chances. Sacrificed himself by hugging the touchline and forcing United to stretch wide - but had little say in the game. AND this is why the Etihad on Tuesday night will be the hottest ticket in town.

Ninety frantic, thrilling, tumultuous minutes were the perfect appetiser for City’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Liverpool.

They may have lost the derby to their deadliest rivals and had to put the title celebrations on hold.

But this was a reminder of what Pep Guardiola’s side can produce when in full flow.

And, perversely, in defeat the Premier League champions-elect may have seen enough to convince them their European hopes remain very much alive and kicking.

Okay, this was a painful, humbling evening for Guardiola.

Just as the volume was set to be turned up for the ultimate party inside the Etihad, Jose Mourinho came along and pulled the plug.

But the home side will know that on another day this had the potential to be the most humiliating of matches for United.

An utterly wretched display from referee Martin Atkinson denied them two stonewall penalties, conceded by Ashley Young – first a blatant handball and then a potential leg-breaking challenge on Sergio Aguero.

Then there were the chances that went begging.

Raheem Sterling twice fired over from close range when one-on-one with David de Gea in the first half.

Ilkay Gundogan also planted a free header into the hands of the United goalkeeper before the break.

The German then caught the outside the bar when the score was still 2-0 in the second half.

And even after United mounted their incredible comeback, Aguero saw a header acrobatically pushed away by De Gea, and Sterling hit the post. Yes this will hurt. But it was a reminder of the threat they pose to Liverpool on Tuesday night – and the fact that a three-goal deficit is not insurmountable.

Inside a 20-minute spell in the first half, Jurgen Klopp must have watched on in a cold sweat.

Goals from Vincent Kompany and Gundogan only told part of the story.

It’s no exaggeration to suggest City could have been 5-0 up by half-time. How they weren’t, only they will know – and no doubt it will form the basis of Guardiola’s post-match analysis.

It was ironic then that it was an old fashioned set piece that opened the scoring after 25 minutes, with a header was all about Kompany’s will and power.

Gundogan doubled City’s lead five minutes later after a slick one-two with Sterling and a dragback that left Nemanja Matic for dead.

De Gea was left with no chance as the German answered his critics after his dismal performance against Liverpool and swept a shot into the bottom corner.

City were sublime. United bamboozled.

In that type of form, Guardiola’s side are unstoppable.

United had no answer - and it was only City’s wastefulness that kept the contest alive.

Considering Aguero should be back for Liverpool, Klopp might not be as fortunate as Mourinho.

But even after surviving that onslaught, not even the most ardent Red could have anticipated what followed – Paul Pogba side-footing past Ederson eight minutes into the break, and then heading home to level the scores to leave the Etihad stunned.

When Chris Smalling met Alexis Sanchez’ in the 69th minute, it was a reminder that anything can happen in football.

That may well be Guardiola’s mantra as he tries to convince his players that a spectacular comeback tomorrow night, may yet be on.