By SHAUN CUSTIS
THE watching Tom Cruise could vouch for the fact that United have A Few Good Men.
There is Wayne Rooney, who became the youngest player to hit 150 Premier League goals, as he put his team two up in the first half.
And there is the irrepressible Robin van Persie, whose 14th of the season won a fantastic game after City had threatened a Mission: Impossible comeback.
Rio Ferdinand, United’s veteran centre-back also had a storming game and finished with a cut eye after some idiot in the crowd took exception to him celebrating Van Persie’s winner.
Frankly, by the end, referee Martin Atkinson could have done with action-man Cruise parachuting down from the stands to help him sort out the mayhem on and off the pitch.
But when tempers had calmed, the bottom line was United’s lead at the top of the table had been extended to six points over their local rivals, who are the reigning champions.
United will not get too cocky. They were eight points clear last season and blew the title, a campaign during which they also lost twice to City in the league — including the horrendous 6-1 drubbing at Old Trafford.
With City already out of Europe after a miserable Champions League campaign, the Premier League was their main focus. They had not lost at home in the competition in two years, a record stretching back 37 games.
But there is a feeling the powerbase may be shifting back across town again.
And manager Alex Ferguson must have thought he was in for a relaxing afternoon when his side went two ahead inside the first half-hour.
The opener on 16 minutes was created by the back-to-form Ashley Young, who got the ball from Van Persie’s chest pass and played it into Rooney.
The England striker, 27, still had work to do but swayed to his right to evade Gael Clichy and shot through Gareth Barry’s legs into the bottom corner, completely foxing keeper Joe Hart.
It was not the cleanest of hits, although the build-up was exquisite and Fergie’s little dad-dance on the touchline showed how much it meant.
By 29 minutes, Rooney had struck again. Antonio Valencia combined with Rafael before Rooney found space to turn in the cross ahead of Kolo Toure — on for injured Vincent Kompany — who could not get close enough. As well as bringing up his 150, it was a record-breaking 10th goal in a Manchester derby for Rooney. City fans had a lot of questions on their minds by this time.
Why, for instance, had manager Roberto Mancini chosen the enigmatic Mario Balotelli to start rather than Carlos Tevez?
And how come Joleon Lescott was dumped on the bench again?
Mancini saw the light early in the second half when he hooked Balotelli and replaced him with Tevez.
But United should have been three goals to the good before City mounted their rousing comeback.
A corking, curling effort from the edge of the box on the hour by Van Persie beat Hart all ends up but cannoned back off the inside of the post before Young put away the rebound.
The flag went up for offside against Young but it was the wrong decision and City went straight down the other end and scored.
First, a Tevez shot was saved by David De Gea and the Spanish keeper blocked countryman David Silva’s follow-up. Tevez then managed to shuttle the ball back for Yaya Toure, who smashed his shot home.
City really went at United just as they had at the start of the game before the visitors scored.
Yaya Toure produced an astonishing bit of skill with a Cruyff turn on Tom Cleverley before skipping past Rooney and Rafael to break clear into United’s half. But the ref pulled play back and booked Rooney for a foul when he should have let play go on.
Silva was then denied as his shot hit De Gea’s left shoulder and bounced off the bar.
It also took a great challenge by Chris Smalling to prevent Edin Dzeko getting in on goal.
With four minutes left, City thought they had rescued a point after a Tevez corner was headed out by Van Persie and full-back Pablo Zabaleta fired through Phil Jones’ legs.
But, in added time, Tevez caught Rafael out wide on the right and Van Persie could smell blood.
His curling shot may well have been saved by the diving Hart but Samir Nasri stuck out his left leg to deflect it into the corner and United had won right in front of their own fans behind the goal.
The celebrations were understandable but angered City’s fans and players.
One supporter came on the pitch looking for an argument, slid over, and was sorted out by Hart.
Ferdinand, 34, headed off for treatment on his cut eye after being hit by a coin.
Tevez, who had already been booked, could have been sent off at the end when he had a kick at Jones right by the dugout but escaped.
As Mr Cruise no doubt noted — referee Atkinson must have had his Eyes Wide Shut to that one.
