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Sir Alex Ferguson claims Manchester City beat United in the decisive April 2012 derby due to Roberto Mancini's 'emphasis on defence'.

Billed as the biggest game in the Premier League era, Vincent Kompany's winner sent City above United on goal difference with two Premier League games to play on a night Ferguson drew criticism for his team selection.

The Scot surprisingly dropped the in-form Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck, as Ji-Sung Park returned for his first domestic start in three months and United reverted to a 4-5-1 formation eight days after they capitulated in a 4-4 home draw with Everton.

And, though Ferguson concedes he made selection errors, he accuses City of negative tactics even though United did not manage a single shot on target in the game.

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"We played Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium and lost 1-0 - a result that was partly caused by a couple of mistakes I made with the team selection," Ferguson writes in his new book, Leading.

"And by Roberto Mancini's emphasis on defence. Manchester City wound up winning the league."

Ferguson also insists United 'outplayed' City for the majority of their 6-1 defeat in October 2011.

"It was our worst thumping by our crosstown rivals in 22 years, and our biggest home league defeat since 1955 when United were hammered 5-0, also by Manchester City," Ferguson adds.

"The irony of it was that for most of the game we outplayed them. City scored two goals either side of half-time, and though we scratched our way back to 3-1, we conceded three goals in the last 13 minutes.

"In retrospect, we should have just bolted the door, prevented City's three goals, and avoided the embarrassment of the terrible newspaper headlines and the jubilation on the other side of Manchester.

"Most importantly, we lost the League to City that year on goal difference, which made the result even more painful."