Shaun Goater told his wife Anita he was going to get his 100th goal against Manchester United.

Said more casually than as a statement of intent, the Bermudian striker cannot have believed just how prophetic he would prove to be at the end of 90 minutes on Saturday.

The 32-year-old, a former United trainee, bagged a pair in Manchester City's historic 3-1 win over their crosstown rivals but just hours before the game it was doubtful that he would even start let alone mark a century of strikes in sky blue colours.

Playing against Wigan in the Worthington Cup in midweek Goater was tackled hard and the end result was an inflamed knee.

By Saturday morning the striker had still not recovered 100 percent and manager Kevin Keegan decided to give him one last chance.

With the kick-off a little over three hours away Goater underwent a late fitness test. At its conclusion Keegan sat down with the player and asked for his honest assessment.

"Everything I did in the fitness test proved no problem," Goater said from his Manchester home yesterday. "Sprinting, jumping, turning, twisting, kicking - everything you do in a game - so I was pleased.

"The gaffer, the physio and myself then sat down. The physio explained the situation and the gaffer said 'well, it's up to you Shaun'.

"I said I didn't feel anything in the fitness test and so I am happy to play' and he replied 'well you're starting then if you're happy'."

The rest, as they say, is history.

City took the lead against Sir Alex Ferguson's men as early as the fifth minute.

It should perhaps have been Goater celebrating but he shot tamely at 'keeper Fabien Barthez, the Frenchman spilling the ball into the path of compatriot Nicolas Anelka who made no mistake.

Three minutes later though United were level.

A beautiful cross from Ryan Giggs was converted by Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.

Some City fans might have thought this would be the turning point and United would go on to take the points.

But they would have been wrong.

On 26 minutes England defender Gary Neville committed a schoolboy error and Goater exacted the maximum penalty.

Neville attempted to shepherd a Marc Vivien Foe pass out of play but he got the wrong side of Goater who took possession of the ball and stroked it past Barthez.

Five minutes after the break came the goal that will go down in Manchester City folklore.

A one-touch pass from Eyal Berkovic freed Goater who calmly chipped the advancing 'keeper to send the fans at Maine Road into raptures.

Reflecting on the game, the last derby before City move to their new stadium, Goater said: "I was talking about it to my wife and I said 'wouldn't it be something to score the 100th goal against United'.

"That was as much as the conversation was really. I could have had a T-shirt done, all sorts of stuff, but I really didn't.

"I was thinking about the celebration afterwards - there was nothing to suggest it was 100 goals, it was just a normal Shaun Goater celebration.

"I had really given the 100 no thought, even though I had mentioned it to my wife as a joke."

Though he spoke little about it before, you can bet both he and half of Manchester have hardly stopped talking about it since.

And boss Keegan is among them.

"I take my hat off to Shaun, he is working very nicely with Nicolas Anelka and I think the basis is there for a striking partnership," he said.

"Shaun had to undergo a fitness test at 8.00 in the morning and he really wanted to play. I think you saw why - 100 goals for the club.

"I think there are more for 'the Goat' as long as we keep feeding him!"

Goater, too, is pleased with the understanding he is building up with Anelka.

"That is the fourth game Nicolas and I have started together in the Premiership and the second one in which we have both scored," he said. "There are times when it has looked very promising. The communication between the two of us can improve but the formula is there for us to be successful.

"He is very different to anyone who I have played alongside before. He likes to float around, go wide or stay central. But he always thinks like a striker when he passes to you. Sometimes wide men can just throw balls in and expect you to get on the end of them because you play up front.

"But he is very considerate where he passes to you. He is very much the complete striker to play alongside, because he is so creative and because of the way that he links up play in the middle."

The victory lifted City up to 12th in the Premiership table but despite the circumstances Goater and Co. know it is just three points along the road to securing top flight status at the end of the season.

Hopefully, Goater will be there to witness it and if that's the case he could also be well on his way to the next milestone.