It is far easier for me to write this post because we won the tie. Perhaps if we had failed to reach the final, I would not be writing it. I don’t know. I like to think that I always give credit where it is due, win or lose but I do have red-tinted glasses [...]

It is far easier for me to write this post because we won the tie. Perhaps if we had failed to reach the final, I would not be writing it. I don’t know. I like to think that I always give credit where it is due, win or lose but I do have red-tinted glasses on most of the time.

However, tonight (and indeed in the first leg at Manchester City’s ground) we saw a brilliant example of the English game.

It might not always have been beautiful, there were some ugly moments, but it was breathtaking, spellbinding and brilliant.

In the blue corner we had the up-and-coming Manchester City. In the red corner, we had the Champions, Manchester United.

Both teams gave their absolute all over two terrific legs of a semi-final of the League Cup.

The fact that these were two massive local rivals just added more spice to the whole occasion.

Full credit must be given to Manchester City for playing an excellent couple of matches. Beating City during their wilderness years might have been sweet but beating a Manchester City side full of quality feels even better.

I thought there might have been a sending off or two in tonights game but to the players’ immense credit, the game was played with intensity and aggression but was never dirty. A credit to both teams.

I think I like their new manager. While some of the other bigwigs at City are behaving with all the class and decorum of a spoiled brat who has just won the lottery, he at least, is behaving with class and dignity.

When he arrived, he laid down his intentions to knock Manchester United off their pedestal (not dissimilar from a claim made by a certain Alex Ferguson many years ago) but realises that words are cheap and the business has to be done on the pitch more than off it.

I have no doubt that City’s long wait for a bit of silverware is nearing it’s end and if the off-field excesses of both spending and boasting perhaps don’t truly deserve the reward, the passion of the fans and the conduct of the players and their manager does.

There will be no gloating about tonight’s victory on this site.

This semi-final tie illustrated perfectly why we love this game of football so much and it does take two teams to make a great game.

We now march onwards to the final where we meet another team whose manager is a believer in the beautiful game.

It promises to be a cracker and I, for one, am very happy to know that we will be a part of it.

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