Manchester City completed a league double over Manchester United on the day the city remembered the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

City fans behaved impeccably during an emotional minute's silence before the game, and their team were just as impressive once the game got under way.

The visitors completed a league double over their neighbours for the first time since 1970 and their first win at Old Trafford since 1974.

For City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, it was three wins out of three against Sir Alex Ferguson; he added this priceless double to a European Super Cup triumph over United in 1999 when he was at Lazio.

Darius Vassell and new boy Benjani Mwaruwari scored first-half goals for City and United's only reply was in injury time from Michael Carrick.

The Old Trafford pitch was ringed ahead of the game by the names of every one of the 23 who died as a result of the 1958 tragedy in Germany.

The team sheet numbered United's men one to 16, while City stuck to their usual numbering on special commemorative shirts devoid of sponsors' logos. The Red Devils' V-neck tops were also a copy of the famous jerseys worn by the Busby Babes.

But there was a match to play that was crucial to both sides - United needing not to lose ground on Arsenal while City were desperate to end a run of one win in eight league games that has dented their European hopes.

United were without the suspended Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra, while Owen Hargreaves was dropped to the bench. John O'Shea, Nani and Anderson came into the side.

City had Vedran Corluka banned while Daniel Sturridge was also left out. New boy Benjani made his debut with Nedum Onuoha coming into defence.

Any doubts that this would not be a city united were swept away by an immaculate minute's silence.

The teams were led out by the managers who both laid wreathes in the centre circle.

From the start, United flowed towards the visitors' goal, Ryan Giggs seeing a seventh-minute volley touched over by Joe Hart.

City's first effort came after 13 minutes when Benjani's persistence gave Martin Petrov the chance to fire over from 20 yards. Then Stephen Ireland saw a header from Michael Ball's cross held by Edwin van der Sar.

Eriksson's side were getting closer and it needed a faint touch from Nemanja Vidic's head to flick a Gelson Fernandes cross away from the waiting Benjani.

And in the 24th minute City stole ahead. Ireland found Petrov and raced on into the box to take the return. The ball broke to Darius Vassell who saw his first shot hit Van der Sar, but he was quickly on to the rebound to blast the ball home, sending City's horde wild.

United hit back and Hart saved superbly from a Carlos Tevez shot on the turn. Then Cristiano Ronaldo lifted a 25-yard free-kick over the bar.

But City weathered the storm and hit back with a fierce Petrov cross that Van der Sar managed to turn away from Fernandes.

And a minute from the break City went two ahead.

Petrov's angled cross was flicked on by Benjani and the ball squeezed just inside the far post. It was the second time this season the Zimbabwean had scored against United, the first being for Portsmouth.

A minute after the break, Dietmar Hamann unleashed a 30-yarder that Van der Sar pulled down.

But United were soon camped in City's territory, searching for the break that would get them back into the game.

Tevez thought he had done just that when he turned in a deflection but he was correctly judged offside.

O'Shea was booked for a late tackle on Vassell after 57 minutes before the excellent Ireland should have made better use of a breakaway after he intercepted a pass, but he failed to find Benjani or Fernandes.

United then sent on Hargreaves and Michael Carrick for O'Shea and Anderson. City responded by withdrawing Benjani and sending on £5m new boy Felipe Caceido for his debut.

Giggs flashed a shot just wide of the far post, but time was ticking away and the only noise was coming from City's delighted fans.

In injury-time, Carrick drove the ball home from the edge of the box but it was too little, too late.

Teams:

Man Utd Van der Sar, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand,O'Shea (Carrick 73), Nani (Park 64), Scholes,Anderson (Hargreaves 73), Giggs, Ronaldo, Tevez.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Simpson.

Booked: O'Shea.

Goals: Carrick 90.

Man City Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Vassell,Ireland, Hamann (Jihai 84), Gelson, Petrov (Garrido 87),Mwaruwari (Caicedo 75).

Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Geovanni.

Goals: Vassell 25, Mwaruwari 45.

Att: 75,970

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).