Wayne Rooney put United ahead in the second minute however a mistake from Ben Foster allowed Gareth Barry to equalise.
Darren Fletcher headed United into the lead again after half-time only for Craig Bellamy’s stunning strike to level the match.
United dominated the second-half and Fletcher thought he had won the game when he headed in his second, however a terrible mistake from Rio Ferdinand allowed Bellamy to score his second in the ninetieth minute and seemingly secure a point for Mark Hughes’ team.
Substitute Micheal Owen had other ideas though and when Giggs found him in the box, the former Liverpool striker poked the ball past Shay Given to win the game with only seconds to spare.
All the talk before the game had centred on Carlos Tevez who returned to Old Trafford for the first time after his acrimonious depature across Manchester in the summer.
City were given no time to settle into the game though and found themselves a goal behind in the second minute.
Giggs’ quick throw from the left allowed Patrice Evra to run into the box and pull the ball back to Rooney who evaded challenges from Nigel De Jong and Micah Richards to slot the ball past Shay Given.
City recovered their composure though and it was the persistence of Tevez that caught Foster out on the right hand edge of the box. The England keeper tried to bring the ball back into his penalty area but the Argentine stole the ball and found Barry who calmly passed the ball into the empty net.
Rooney and Berbatov were combining well for United and a neat one-two allowed Rooney to find Park down the right but his cross was cut out by Joleon Lescott.
However City looked more likely to score as the half came to a close with Tevez hitting the post from 8-yards out.
Fletcher restored United’s lead immediately after the break, climbing above Barry to meet Giggs’ deep cross and head past Given.
City looked shaky and when another Giggs cross was only half cleared, Park picked the ball up but blazed his shot over the bar.
City responded in emphatic fashion though when Craig Bellamy cut in from the left to smash a shot past the helpless Foster.
United pinned City back but couldn’t find a way past Given who denied Berbatov twice before pushing Giggs’ half-volley over the bar.
City barely got out of their own half as United piled on the pressure and it was Fletcher who finally made the breakthrough with 10 minutes remaining, heading in a free kick from the tireless Giggs.
Unbelievably City equalised for a third time in ninetieth minute when Ferdinand carelessly gave the ball away to Bellamy who drove into the United box and slipped the ball into the United net for his second of the game.
However, United weren’t done and when a long ball fell to Giggs he picked out Owen to score the winner and inspire wild celebrations from the United bench.
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