Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has insisted that Wayne Rooney's work-rate in Sunday's derby proves that the game is special for both sides.

Rooney went on record before last weekend's clash as stating that Liverpool represented a bigger match for Manchester United than the local derby, despite City's recent emergence as a title contender.

Zabaleta believes that Rooney's willingness to keep fighting in a 4-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium showed that his actions spoke louder than words.

He told The Mirror: "I saw Rooney. He was one of their main players, he tried more than anyone else in the Manchester United team.

"He says Liverpool is still the big game. But I saw him working so hard, so probably it proves this game is just as important to him as United against Liverpool.

"When the game is like that and you see the team playing like that against a team like Manchester United, you know it's a special game."

Manuel Pellegrini's men were emphatic winners in the season's first Manchester derby, with Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure among the City goalscorers.