Noisy Neighbours 吵闹的邻居
Tevez failed to score on his return to Old Trafford
Derby games 同城球队的比赛 are always tense affairs 紧张的赛事.
But this season’s first meeting between neighbours Manchester United and Manchester City had even more at stake 更为事关重大的 than usual.
United are last season’s champions and have traditionally had the upper hand 占上风 in these encounters 交锋, but seem to be suffering without the creative genius 具有创造力的天才 of recently-departed hero 最近刚刚离开的英雄 Cristiano Ronaldo.
City, on the other hand, are newly mega-rich 巨富 thanks to a takeover 收购 by an Arab consortium 阿拉伯联合体, and have spent money like water 花钱如流水 on new players over the past month, including, controversially 有争议地, Carlos Tevez from United.
Unbeaten 没有被击败的 in their opening four games, did Manchester City finally have what it takes 具有… 能力 to defeat their local rivals?
It's a big stage here and that puts everyone under pressure, including the referees.
Mark Hughes, Manchester City manager
Well the answer came seven goals and 97 minutes later in a thrilling 激动人心的 match that ebbed and flowed 起起落落的, with finally United winning 4-3.
Much to the delight of the United fans, their winner came in the 95th minute when new striker Michael Owen scored his first goal for them at their ground 球场 Old Trafford.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson even got up and did an impromptu jig 即席舞蹈 in celebration.
But City boss Mark Hughes immediately complained that too much stoppage time 加时赛 had been added to the normal 90 minutes, and demanded an explanation.
Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour. You cannot do anything about that. They will always be noisy.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager
He feels the referee may have added the extra time because of pressure from the Manchester United supporters.
"It's a big stage here and that puts everyone under pressure 使每个人都感到有压力, including the referees.
Nonetheless, Hughes praised his team’s effort, saying: "We're disappointed; we put in a hell of a shift 班 today."
The phrase 'a hell of a' is used to intensify 加强（语气）the noun that comes after it. The phrase is very informal 不正式的 and can even be offensive 无礼的 in some contexts, but here when Hughes said "one hell of a shift", he meant his team worked very hard for that period of time.
By contrast 相对来说, Sir Alex Ferguson was jubilant 欢庆的 after the match, and even described the seven-goal match as probably "the best derby of all time".
The result also gave Ferguson an excuse to have a dig 批评 at Manchester City and the new-found ambition their money has given them, dismissing 不屑一顾地说 them as mere "noisy neighbours".
"Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour. You cannot do anything about that. They will always be noisy," said Ferguson.
Somewhat cryptically 令人费解的 he added: "You just have to get on with your life, put your television on and turn it up a bit louder."
Many managers have wondered how to emulate 模仿 Ferguson’s undoubted success with Manchester United.
Maybe now they realise all they need to do is turn their telly 电视 up.
© MMIX