LIVERPOOL SINK UNITED AS TWO ARE SENT OFF
Liverpool 2 Manchester Utd 0
ONE chance. That was all it took for a world-class striker to smash Liverpool in front of Manchester United and it was a lead they rarely looked like relinquishing before David Ngog's last-minute clincher.
Rafa Benitez gambled on the fitness of Fernando Torres and the Spaniard gave him 80 minutes in return, punctuated by one piece of predatory work that was always going to be too much for below-par Manchester United.
Nemanja Vidic managed to keep up his run of red cards against the Merseysiders, that's three on the trot now, and, while United will argue Jamie Carragher should have been dismissed for hauling down his old mate Michael Owen, it came so late on it would probably have had no bearing on the result.
Liverpool deserved to win without question. Antonio Valencia's drive against the bar was a rare moment of threat from the visitors and even a red card for Javier Mascherano in the dying seconds failed to prevent Ngog running through unchallenged to steer a second wide of Edwin van der Sar.
Wayne Rooney was pretty awful throughout, maybe his mind was on other things, but he did have the ball in the net after three minutes - only to see it rightly ruled out for offside.
Van der Sar produced a superb double save to keep out a Fabio Aurelio free-kick and Dirk Kuyt's rebound and United survived by the skin of their teeth again when Paul Scholes lost possession in dangerous area and Kuyt collected a Lucas pass but dragged his shot wastefully wide.
Rooney's weak header from a Valencia cross was all the champions could muster although there were two half-hearted penalty shouts when Ryan Giggs was pushed by Daniel Agger and Michael Carrick was sent sprawling by Carragher's clean tackle.
Aurelio's header from a Benayoun cross worked Van der Sar again before the break and Liverpool continued to look the likeliest team to score in the second period.
Evra's error should have seen Kuyt shoot but the Dutchman was too unselfish when squaring for Benayoun and Torres showed him how it is done with 65 minutes gone.
Benayoun's through ball split a surprisingly open United defence and Torres comfortably shrugged off Rio Ferdinand's challenge before spearing an unstoppable finish past Van der Sar to bring the house down.
The Red Devils failed to really trouble Pepe Reina, even after throwing on Owen, and the hosts always seemed dangerous on the break with Vidic needing to make one fine tackle to thwart Benayoun.
Valencia came closest when hammering the ball against the bar from a tight angle after an Owen lay-off with six minutes left.
That was as good as it got for United. Owen was hauled down by Carragher when trying to latch onto a Rooney pass and Andre Marriner decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and award a yellow card. It was probably a professional foul.
Marriner did produce two red cards in the closing stages - firstly when Vidic earned a second booking for a ridiculous foul on Kuyt and then when Mascherano caught Van der Sar late to leave the teams level at 10 men apiece.
It was the only area in which they were level as Ngog had the freedom of Anfield to stroll through and tuck home to clinch the win.
Crisis. What crisis?
This article has 18 comments
Still angry at Utds poor show on sunday and this year will be tropheyless time to spend some money fergie get a solid player in the middle like Yaya Toure and some good wingers not people like useless Nani. Rio has had his day get a good centre back to replace him and o shea is a useless player too.
Berbatov is a waste of money he doesnt run at all, he just flicks the ball.
And i hear rooney got lost on the way because i didnt see him playing
By Mac. Posted October 27 2009 at 11:52 AM.
Liverpool deserved to win this game. Sometimes when they play well they always don't get the results as they want.This liverpool team always play exciting football, i like it very much.
By kblim. Posted October 27 2009 at 8:20 AM.
Liverpool deserved to win this game. They always play exciting football on the pitch, but sometimes they won't get results what they want.
By kblim. Posted October 26 2009 at 4:22 PM.
Well done to the
Red
Army
From
Anfield!
You made my weekend extra special. The Manc's fans are not graceful losers....
By Brian. Posted October 26 2009 at 8:34 AM.
Rafa is a tactician. liverpool is a great side, Well done to them
By jesse nagiah. Posted October 26 2009 at 7:46 AM.
Every dog has a day, now it is MAN UTD time to suffer in the hands of Liverpool.
Most of Man Utd players are old and their cannot stop El nino. in defence Liverpool are superb with
Cara,glen,Aager,Insua,Skretel.
By Ibrahim Ali Aboker. Posted October 26 2009 at 4:05 AM.
It is about time that Ferdinand and Scholes will leave. They are overpaid and do not deliver. Torres made a good goal but any good defender would have (tried to) stopped him.
By sam. Posted October 26 2009 at 12:58 AM.
mancs are all the same always got an excuse..you dont like it when the game is taken to you and your ruffed up abit...we won fair and square end of.
By josh. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:46 PM.
its always best to beat Manc..........i know ey r the inferior team in Manchester n ey have a striker who played the inferior team in Liverpool
By Manuel Cualito. Posted October 25 2009 at 11:25 PM.
What a great result, Liverpool were the better team and fergie admitted that himself (shock).
Rafa took of torres as it was his 1st game back after injury so that is why he is a manager and you are not Ramel.
United were played off the park so dont be bitter.
:-D
By Matt. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:35 PM.
MUFC the religion I see you don't have the balls to write your name to your article, just another closet Manc that only sings when you're winning!!!! After a pretty disastrous start to the season we now find ourselves 4 behind utd and hopefully with a spring back in our step. How do you think we got lucky? Was Torres lucky to score his goal or was Rio at fault AGAIN, was Ngog (Our fourth choice striker!!!) lucky to score or did he keep his cool and finish sublimely???????? Let's analyse the Mancs for a minute, Berbe, Rio, Valencia, £80m for these 3 and my mother could play better!!!!!!! Utd were second best all over the park today, at least Fergie had the guts to admit it, that's why Utd are where they are, their manager isn't afraid to call it as he sees it, it's just a pity that tag along supporters like you seem to think your opinion matters, haven't a clue what you're talking about and have probably never even been to OT caus you can't afford it!!!! As for signing on, well I suppose you have to be able to write first before you can do that so you're screwed, take your beating like a man YNWA
By Brendan. Posted October 25 2009 at 9:22 PM.
4 points behind Utd in the table and Utd having a great season. No Premiership is won or lost in October.
By Rodsta. Posted October 25 2009 at 8:13 PM.
It was a well deserved win for us, we outplayed them.
It was a good few hat tricks as well, vidic off again for the 3rd time, and it was our 3rd win on the trot against them.
It will go down as a game of heroes, and no other hero tha torres deserves the credit, against frio he annihalated him to score, ha ha.
We won, and that's a FACT
By bonnythescouser. Posted October 25 2009 at 8:06 PM.
You summed that up nicely Adam well done
By james fraser. Posted October 25 2009 at 8:01 PM.
Liverpool were the better team, although i was hoping some kind of luck we had against Arsenal. We didn't pass the ball that good around midfield, and let the scoucers attack us. Maybe we are missing a holding person like Fletcher and Hargreaves on the midfield. Scholes keeps making mistakes and Carrick isn't a work horse. The only difference between the two team was Torres. Otherwise I didn't see United doing anything wrong. I don't blame the defenders. Van der sar is far better than our other choices.
Rafa always takes off the player who is playing better. I cannot understand this man. Liverpool may win games with Benitez, but that's not how Primership is won. Liverpool will never win a title under Benitez.
By Ramel, US. Posted October 25 2009 at 6:20 PM.
What a match!Torres,Lucas,Aurelio,Carra,Benayoun were brillant!
By elnino. Posted October 25 2009 at 5:51 PM.
Maybe Liverpool will clinch 4th spot after all!!!! Your deluded fanbase are trapped in the 80's along with the typical scouse dress code!!! You quite simply got Lucky!!! Sign on.....
By MUFC the religion. Posted October 25 2009 at 5:01 PM.
What a beautiful game it was and a fantastic, deserved win for the mighty reds!
Thanks for the great write up Stacey!!
By Deb Nolan. Posted October 25 2009 at 4:29 PM.