Ten small moments with a big impact on the Premier League title race

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/75531?ns=guardian&pageName=Ten+small+moments+with+a+big+impact+on+the+Premier+League+title+race%3AArticle%3A1744534&ch=Football&c3=Obs&c4=Premier+League+2011-12%2CManchester+City+%28Football%29%2CManchester+United+%28Football%29%2CPremier+League+%28Football%29%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Unclassified%2CPremier+League&c6=Jacob+Steinberg&c7=12-May-12&c8=1744534&c9=Article&c10=Feature&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FPremier+League+2011-12" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">These incidents could ultimately prove decisive in whether Manchester City or Manchester United are champions</p><h2>1. CITY'S THREE LATE GOALS IN 6-1</h2><p></p><p>Given that Manchester City are poised to win the title on goal difference, the final minutes of their derby win at Old Trafford in October look pivotal. With the score at 3-1, the 10 men of Manchester United poured forward in the vain hope of an unlikely comeback. City added three extra goals – a +6 swing to the goal difference.</p><h2>2. UNITED LABOUR AGAINST QPR</h2><p>Also important was United's failure to eat into City's goal difference against the 10 men of Wolves – they declared at 5-0 with 30 minutes remaining – and at Old Trafford against QPR: Shaun Derry was sent off after 14 minutes, but United huffed and puffed to a 2-0 win.</p><p></p><h2>3. BALOTELLI'S RED</h2><p>While Mario Balotelli has contributed important goals, his red card against Arsenal in April forced Roberto Mancini to pick Carlos Tevez, who had not started since his return to England. City, then trailing by eight points, went on to record a 100% record since he was reintroduced to the starting line-up.</p><p></p><h2>4. KOLAROV'S EQUALISER FOR 3-3</h2><p>The Serbian equalised in the 86th minute of the 3-3 draw against Sunderland at the end of March. After the game City were five points off the top and being written off as title contenders. Yet that goal preserved their unbeaten home record and kept them in touch with United.</p><p></p><h2>5. DE JONG ON AT ST JAMES'</h2><p>With City drawing 0-0 in a must-win game at Newcastle last Sunday, the introduction of Nigel De Jong for Samir Nasri was Roberto Mancini at his counterintuitive best: the substitution allowed Yaya Touré to move forward and score the two goals that all but sealed the title.</p><h2>6. UNITED WILT AT WIGAN</h2><p>Having forged an eight-point gap at the top with six games to go, United immediately let City back into the race by losing against Wigan at the DW Stadium. Outplayed, they were complacent and missed the rested Paul Scholes. They had not lost a league game with the 37-year-old in the side until then.</p><p></p><h2>7. CITY'S EUROPA LEAGUE EXIT</h2><p>City's loss to Sporting Lisbon was helpful. On one of the two occasions that they played a league game three days after a Europa League match, they lost 1-0 at Swansea.</p><p></p><h2>8. EVRA HITS THE POST </h2><p>United should have been 5-2 up at home to Everton last month, but Patrice Evra's effort after 81 minutes hit the post instead. Within four minutes goals from Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar made it 4-4. Two precious points dropped.</p><h2>9. DEFOE'S LATE SCARE AT CITY</h2><p>Having thrown away a two-goal lead at home to Tottenham in January, City survived an almighty scare in stoppage time when Jermain Defoe missed a good chance that would have made it 3-2. Soon afterwards, Balotelli won and scored a penalty to seal all three points for City.</p><p></p><h2>10. HART'S SAVE AT VILLA</h2><p>City had lost their previous away game at Everton and were grinding their way to a dour 1-0 win at Aston Villa in February. They only preserved their lead thanks to Joe Hart's save from Darren Bent's close-range volley in the final minute.</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premier-league-2011-12">Premier League 2011-12</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/manchestercity">Manchester City</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/manchester-united">Manchester United</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premierleague">Premier League</a></li></ul></div><div class="author"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/jacob-steinberg">Jacob Steinberg</a></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
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