Scintillating City announce start of new Blue era

ALEX FERGUSON has a keen sense of football history and, after the extraordinary events at Old Trafford yesterday, was quick and succinct in describing the worst defeat in his quarter-century as Manchester United manager, an occasion which seemed to herald a momentous day in the modern game.

“I’m shattered, I can’t believe it,” said Ferguson, clearly still shell-shocked after his team’s horrendous defeat. “It was an incredible disappointment.”

Those words neatly summed up the preceding 90-plus minutes in which Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko had each scored twice, David Silva and Sergio Aguero joining them on the scoresheet as Darren Fletcher claimed a meaningless consolation for the Reds.