UPDATE 2-Soccer-City honour United then dent their title hopes

(updates standings after later match in 7th and 8th paras)

By Mike Collett

MANCHESTER, England Feb 10 (Reuters) - Manchester City honoured the memory of Manchester United's tragic 1958 Busby Babes before showing no regard for their arch-rivals' current title ambitions with an unexpected 2-1 win at an emotional Old Trafford on Sunday.

After the fans of both clubs had observed a minute's silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash that killed 23 people including eight United players, City stunned United with an excellent performance to win at Old Trafford for the first time since 1974.

First-half goals from Darius Vassell and debutant Benjani Mwaruwari also gave them their first league double over United since 1969 and sent United crashing to their first home league defeat of the season.

Substitute Michael Carrick's well-taken stoppage-time goal was no more than a consolation for the home side, who played in a 1958-style kit without logos or markings apart from the numbers on their backs as a mark of respect to the Munich victims.

Although the kit evoked memories of the great United side that was virtually wiped out at Munich, their performance on the day did not.

City, with skipper Richard Dunne outstanding in defence and Stephen Ireland and Martin Petrov battling for everything in midfield, well deserved the win that has seriously hit United's hopes of retaining their title.

The result put City in seventh place with 44 points from 26 games, on the same points as fifth-placed Liverpool who drew 0-0 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal, who play Blackburn Rovers on Monday, have 60 points from 25 matches and victory will move them five points clear of United, who have 58 from 26. Chelsea have 55 from 26.

UNITED PRESSURE

City withstood almost constant but not particularly effective United pressure in the second half with Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs and the out-of-sorts Cristiano Ronaldo failing to take any of the chances that came their way.

United took control in the early stages but City had begun to assert themselves by the time they took the lead through Vassell after 24 minutes. He scored with a second chance after goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar blocked his first effort.

United, who narrowly avoided defeat at Tottenham Hotspur last week with a stoppage-time equaliser from Tevez nearly pulled level through Tevez again three minutes later.

The Argentine did well to slam in a volley from the edge of the box, only for Joe Hart to make a fine save.

Instead it was City who scored the next goal. Petrov, collecting the ball after United failed to clear a corner, swept it back towards the United goal and debutant Mwaruwari, making his first appearance following his protracted transfer from Portsmouth, glanced the ball inside the far post to make it 2-0.

Although United carried the game forward, their passing was poor, they made too many mistakes and they missed the threat of the suspended Wayne Rooney up front.

On a day of rare emotion at Old Trafford and in front of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, survivors of the crash and the families of the victims, it was the blue half of the city who made the most of the occasion. (Editing by Clare Fallon)