Manchester United captain Gary Neville says their Carling Cup win over Manchester City was one of the great moments of the season.

In his column for the Sunday Times of Malta, Neville wrote: "I would have loved to have played in both games but it wasn't to be. It was a great atmosphere on Wednesday at Old Trafford, and it was always going to be after all the tension that was created over the past couple of weeks.

"I thought we controlled both games for large periods. Don't get me wrong, City had a couple of periods of pressure in both matches, but I think we generally outplayed them over two legs. Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes were fantastic in our 3-1 victory on Wednesday, while Ryan Giggs' delivery for the final goal was outstanding. Quite simply, we deserved to win the tie.

"Our assistant manager Mike Phelan said it was our best performance of the season on Wednesday, and it was certainly our most emotive performance, particularly in the second half when the stadium was rocking. It was a true Manchester United night - clubs like ours can deliver nights like that. It is very difficult to create those kind of atmospheres at every ground, but we can do it at Manchester United.

"We get these magic atmospheres on big European nights, and we have seen them against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea over recent years. A couple of times a season the ground simply erupts and the atmosphere was just absolutely electric on Wednesday. Manchester United players, fans and coaches live for those moments.

"People talk about the money side of football, but moments like Rooney's last minute winner on Wednesday night are why we dedicate our lives to football."