The 2007-08 campaign was one to forget for Derby County. They had been surprisingly promoted to the Premier League during the previous season under the management of Paul Jewell and after a 2-2 draw on the opening day against Bolton Wanderers, the months ahead proved to be tough ones.
When champions elect Manchester United made the trip to Pride Park six years ago today, they did so with bottom-of-the-table Derby having won just two of their 30 matches, taking just 10 points in the process. The visitors, meanwhile, would leapfrog Arsenal at the top by claiming all three points in the East Midlands.
What's more, the Rams had been thrashed 6-1 by Chelsea last time out and many had predicted that a similar fate awaited them at the hands of Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
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The anticipated United onslaught started with just 59 seconds on the clock when Park Ji-Sung's cross was met by Ryan Giggs, but the Welshman couldn't keep his headed effort on target.
Next to try his luck for United was Cristiano Ronaldo, but first he fired against the post, before Roy Carroll pushed away the Portuguese international's curling effort.
Derby had spent the majority of the opening exchanges pegged back inside their own half, but within the space of two minutes, United's deputy goalkeeper Ben Foster was called into action twice. He first dived to his left to turn away Kenny Miller's volley and the same striker then tested the shot-stopper from close range.
As the second half got underway, United laid siege to the home team's goal, with Ronaldo their focal point. It was proving to be a frustrating afternoon for the attacker, though, as he struggled to beat former United keeper Carroll.
However, with 14 minutes left to play, Ronaldo finally made the breakthrough. Wayne Rooney was released down the left flank and he crossed for his teammate, who stabbed the ball beyond the reach of a static Carroll. His anger at the previous chances that he had failed to convert was there for all to see during his celebration.
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Ronaldo spurned another opening to make the outcome safe two minutes from time, while up the other end Carroll, who had come up for a corner, saw a low shot blocked by Nemanja Vidic as United held out to secure a narrow win.
Defeated boss Jewell said after the game: "No-one likes losing games but the way we lost is acceptable. I want that sort of performance to be the norm rather than the exception. I'm pleased the players put in a shift for the supporters. We were never going to be able to out-football them but we matched them for work-rate and endeavour."
Meanwhile, United's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz added: "After their 6-1 defeat against Chelsea they regrouped very well. To tell the truth we didn't expect they could be so strong. It was very difficult after we missed so many chances at the beginning. We didn't score and step by step, Derby started to believe, but we kept fighting in the second half and got the result we expected."
DERBY: Carroll; Edworthy (Todd), Leacock, Moore, McEveley; Sterjovski (Robert), Savage, Jones, Lewis; Miller, Earnshaw (Villa)
MAN UNITED: Foster; O'Shea, Brown, Vidic, Evra; Park (Saha), Scholes (Carrick), Anderson (Fletcher), Giggs; Ronaldo, Rooney
Liam Apicella
