Ferguson pays tribute to magnificent Owen

City have spent more than 120 million pounds ($196.2 million) on players in a bid to challenge their local rivals and they fought back three times to equalise before Owen's strike.

"Sometimes you've got a noisy neighbour and you have to live with it," Ferguson said. "You can't do anything about them and they keep on making noise.

"But what you can do, and what we've shown today, is that you can get on with your life, put your television on, turn it up a bit louder and as the players showed their playing power and that's the best answer of all."

City manager Mark Hughes was seeking an explanation from referee Martin Atkinson as Owen's goal came five minutes and 26 seconds into four minutes of added time.

"I'm not going to question his integrity I just want an explanation," Hughes said.

"It would be nice to get one but I don't think I'd get one. I've looked at the videos and I just can't see where he's got it from."

(Editing by Ed Osmond; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)