Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool

Instant hero: Tottenham debutant Sebastien Bassong scored the winner against Liverpool after Steven Gerrard had equalised from the penalty spot

Eyes blazing, arms outstretched, Rafael Benitez appealed to the referee for a penalty in the dying moments of the game yesterday with the kind of fervour that put him in contravention of any number of Football Association and Premier League respect campaigns. One game gone and Liverpool are feeling the heat.

Benitez's assistant manager, Sammy Lee, was sent off by the referee Phil Dowd a minute later on the advice of fourth official Stuart Attwell. Fernando Torres kicked out at Tom Huddlestone and Lucas Leiva weighed in with a shove to the Tottenham midfielder's chest. But when the whistle went for full-time the rest of the Premier League's big four had left Liverpool in the blocks.
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Benitez had calmed down by the time he reached his post-match press conference but his feelings had not changed on Dowd or Attwell. The first, he indicated, needed to check his eyesight for the penalty he failed to give against Benoît Assou-Ekotto; the latter, he said, was just too young to be officiating in the Premier League. The FA's Respect campaign has already got its work cut out with Benitez.

To his credit, Benitez did not try to pretend that Liverpool deserved to win just three months after they dispatched Spurs 3-1 at Anfield on the last day of the league season. Something was just not right in the heart of the team, they were outfought by Harry Redknapp's players and the malaise manifested in silly mistakes, like the clash of heads between Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel in the first half that left both of them off the pace.

Certainly, neither of Liverpool's centre-backs got anywhere near Sébastien Bassong, who scored the first goal of his career on his Spurs league debut with a beautifully poised header on 56 minutes. Benitez would surely have replaced Skrtel earlier if he had a better alternative on the bench than the untried 18-year-old Daniel Sanchez Ayala, who was eventually sent on when the disoriented Skrtel could play no more.

It is early days yet for Liverpool bu,t with the exception of the excellent Glen Johnson at right-back, there was little about them that could be argued was an improvement on last season. When Benitez was chasing the game with another attacking player he had no option but to bring on Andrei Voronin, who is no more effective than when he was sent on loan a year ago.

It would be inaccurate to put a defeat like this down to the absence of Xabi Alonso alone but his departure has undoubtedly made Liverpool weaker. There were other elements too: Steven Gerrard, fit again having missed England's game on Wednesday, was strangely quiet apart from his penalty equaliser; Torres hardly had a chance and Ryan Babel failed to seize his opportunity.

Only Pepe Reina could be said to have played anywhere near his best, saving brilliantly from Robbie Keane twice in the first half as his team-mates failed to take charge. In the course of a Premier League season, August form can be misleading but the early signs for another run at their first title in 20 years say that Liverpool have work to do.

They came up against a Tottenham team who, despite their new players, looked unusually well-drilled for a club that has endured some uniquely chaotic starts to the season. Ledley King was the pick of the home team, a magnificent presence in the centre of defence who offered a masterclass in how to keep Torres quiet, alongside a very composed Bassong.

Having watched his team "absolutely slaughtered" by Liverpool at White Hart Lane last season Spurs still won the game Redknapp said that this time they had encountered a very different Benitez side. They had set out to press and unsettle them and without Alonso and, as Redknapp said, his "ability to pass the ball round corners", Liverpool found themselves suffocated in midfield

Redknapp made the decision to start without his new £9m signing Peter Crouch and in his absence Keane missed three chances in the first half that he might usually have been expected to score. Nevertheless, Keane was part of a monumental effort from his side to close his former club down all over the pitch. When Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko came on as late substitutes, Spurs showed that their attacking strength runs a lot deeper than Liverpool's.

Spurs' first goal was not only the first for Assou-Ekotto in three years at the club, it was also the first in a career of more than 110 senior games and this one was worth waiting for. Huddlestone's free-kick cannoned into the wall and from there Assou-Ekotto took one touch to control it before dispatching it with his left foot into the top right-hand corner of Reina's goal.

Spurs were in control of the game at half-time and it needed a moment of individual excellence to drag Liverpool back into it. As the League's best paid full-back, Johnson has some pressure on him but he delivered in the 54th minute, surging past Huddlestone and Assou-Ekotto before going past Heurelho Gomes, who brought him down. Gerrard, taunted by the Spurs fans over his court case last month, thundered home the penalty.

That might have been the cue for Liverpool to go on and win it but it was Spurs who regained the lead just before the hour. Luka Modric's free-kick came from the right and Bassong got above Johnson and Carragher to head the ball past Reina.

Of the two penalty appeals for Liverpool the first looked borderline. Assou-Ekotto eased Voronin off the ball as the striker ran in on goal; then minutes later the same Spurs full-back appeared to handle the ball.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios, Modric (O'Hara, 84); Defoe (Pavlyuchenko, 90), Keane (Crouch, 68). Substitutes not used: Hutton, Bentley, Naughton, Cudicini (gk). Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel (Ayala, 75), Insua; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt (Voronin, 79), Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun, 68); Torres. Substitutes not used: Cavalieri (gk), Spearing, Kelly, Dossena. Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire). Booked: Tottenham Lennon, Assou-Ekotto; Liverpool Mascherano, Carragher. Man of the match: King. Attendance: 35,935.

Torres is key to everything for Liverpool

As financial troubles bite even harder at Liverpool than most places, keeping Fernando Torres on the pitch more often is key.

Boss Rafael Benitez believes that if Torres and Steven Gerrard both have injury-free seasons, then anything is possible, even if he has not been able to compete at the very highest level for the biggest stars.

Manchester United, with £80million for the Cristiano Ronaldo sale, plus Manchester City and Chelsea can invariably blow Liverpool out of the water with their spending power.

Which means that a confident, fit and firing Torres is key to everything Liverpool aim for next term.

Benitez believes that Torres' frequent absence through a persistent hamstring injury last season cost Liverpool the Premier League title - a trophy they missed by just four points.

And the Spain striker, reckoned by many to be the best striker in the world right now, is nothing if not confident.

Torres said: "I do not say it lightly, but we must think we can be as good or even better than Barcelona.

"It is the belief of everybody at this club that we can become the best and we have really moved forward in the last two seasons.

"There is nowhere else in Europe I want to be. I believe we are on the verge of something special here and I am delighted to commit my future to this club.

"We came very close last season. And next season, with the experience we now have, we know we can go one better. Manchester United are still very strong but we will improve and will have more about us next term.

"Last season we were unlucky with injuries. I am not making excuses but things could have been different. The manager is building and I expect many trophies for Liverpool in the years to come.

"Winning Euro 2008 with Spain was amazing and it made me understand how good the feeling of winning is. It has made me even more hungry for FA Cups, Premier League titles, European Cups - I want them all. And I want to win them all with Liverpool."

And Torres believes that Liverpool can recreate the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s under Benitez.

The 25-year-old agreed a new contract last term to potentially keep him at Anfield until 2014, all because he feels the club is on the verge of "something special".

Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger also signed new deals.

And Torres added: "You would not get top players signing new contracts if they did not think there were good times ahead. I expect many trophies for Liverpool in the years to come.

"The manager will know what he wants and what areas he wants to improve next season, and whatever he decides we know it will be the right choice because all the players and staff here have total trust in him.

"Our aim has to be the best. If we have no desire to be the best in England and in Europe then there is no point even turning up for work.

"Liverpool are just as famous as Barcelona as a football club and even more famous trophy-wise. But we want to make Liverpool as successful in this era as they were in the '70s and '80s."

Liverpool 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspurs

He has made his reputation as one of the hardest defenders around, an old-fashioned stopper hewn from granite, but Sami Hyypia could not hold back the tears when the realisation hit him at Anfield yesterday.

A shrill blast of referee Peter Walton's whistle marked the moment his Liverpool days came to an end and, as he paused before heading down the tunnel one last time, it all became too much for a player who has taken countless knocks without flinching in the 10 years since signing from Willem II for just £2.5million.

Double act: Steven Gerrard races to congratulate Fernando Torres after the Spaniard's 14th league goal of the season

Physical discomfort has never been a problem for the 35-year old Finn, but the wrench of cutting his Anfield ties, ahead of embarking on a new adventure with Bayer Leverkusen, was a different matter as he briefly stood alone near the centre circle, dabbing away tears with his shirt sleeves.

Eager to spare his blushes, his team-mates moved in to mob him before keeper Pepe Reina hoisted him shoulder-high and carried him off to rapturous cheers from fans who had grown impatient for a final glimpse of their favourite.

Not only had Rafa Benitez denied him a starting place, the Liverpool manager kept him on the bench for 4 minutes before finally bowing to pressure from fans who repeatedly chanted: 'Sami, Sami, on, on, on.'

Benitez redeemed himself by choosing Steven Gerrard to make way, allowing the Liverpool skipper to wrap the captain's armband round Hyypia's bicep as they exchanged high fives, and he remained unrepentant over limiting the veteran centre back's farewell appearance to six minutes.

'I just felt it would be more special for the fans to see him for the last few minutes, and it was so nearly a fantastic finale,' he said, referring to an injury-time Hyypia header that was blocked on the line by keeper Heurelho Gomes. 'I was pleased to see him get a reception like that, but I feel sad to be losing such an outstanding professional.

'It was always the plan that Stevie should come off, so Sami could wear the armband, and I knew I couldn't leave it any longer because the fans were pushing and pushing.'

It might not quite qualify as one of Benitez's famous facts, but it remains a fairly safe bet that Liverpool would have pushed Manchester United even closer for the title but for Fernando Torres missing most of October and all of December through injury. Liverpool's record signing provided another reminder of the cutting edge that was sorely missed in his absence as he transferred Liverpool's dominance on to the scoresheet with a 31st-minute breakthrough.

Tottenham's defence left him unmarked, and the inevitable response followed as the £21m marksman planted a six-yard header in off the bar from Dirk Kuyt's cross for his 17th goal of an injury-shortened campaign.

Liverpool doubled their lead with a 64th-minute shot from Kuyt that looked to be drifting wide until Alan Hutton's outstretched leg diverted it past Gomes.

They were found as wanting defensively as Spurs had been in the 77th minute, though, as Robbie Keane marked his Anfield return by controlling a long through-ball before firing past Reina.

The former Liverpool striker, sold back to Tottenham after barely half a season at Anfield, chose not to celebrate and was applauded for his show of good grace.

Perhaps he sensed it was little more than a consolation goal, given a degree of Liverpool supremacy that was duly rewarded in the 81st minute, when Yossi Benayoun held off a half-hearted challenge from Ledley King and rolled a shot under the advancing Gomes.

Benitez was in no mood for giving away transfer secrets but his response to continuing reports of interest from Real Madrid in Xabi Alonso hardly dispelled growing fears that the Spain midfielder may be sacrificed to help fund Liverpool's summer spending plans.

Asked if Alonso will still be a Liverpool player at the start of next season, he said: 'Xabi still has three years left on his contract and is not for sale. I had a private conversation with his agent during the week, and it is interesting to see how some people have interpreted that.'

West Ham 0-3 Liverpool

With Manchester United playing on Sunday, Rafael Benitez's men overtook them on goal difference - but time has almost run out and they only have two matches left.

United have four games and may not need them all to secure the title, although the efforts of Gerrard has at least stretched them well into May.

The 28-year-old's goals at Upton Park took his tally to 23 for the season, with Ryan Babel adding a late third to seal the win.

Liverpool's hopes this season have been built on the firepower of Fernando Torres and Gerrard - and the pair combined after 76 seconds for the opener.

Torres, back fit after a hamstring problem ruled him out of the win over Newcastle, received the ball in midfield but was given the time to turn and pick his pass, threading ball through to Gerrard beyond the Hammers defence.

The hosts were claiming offside but James Tomkins had played Gerrard on, with the England midfielder taking the ball around Robert Green and finishing into an empty net.

Steven Gerrard scored twice against West Ham to send Liverpool top of the Premier League and keep alive their slim title hopes.

The early opener stunned the hosts, who kicked off knowing Fulham had won and Tottenham picked up a point earlier in the day in the race for the Europa League next season.

Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola believes four more points will see them secure seventh place - which will get them into Europe if UEFA grant them a club licence - and they had their moments after the setback of Gerrard's opener.

As they attempted to find a way back into the game, Diego Tristan flicked a header at goal from Mark Noble's free-kick that required Jose Reina to save.

They got a little closer just before the half-hour mark when Noble earned a free-kick on the left and swung the set-piece into the danger area. Radoslav Kovac got in front of Reina to meet the ball but his header flew over the crossbar.

Their progress was undone when Luis Boa Morte suffered a nightmare 30 seconds which resulted in conceding a penalty just before the break.

He was furious that no free-kick was given when Javier Mascherano brought him down, then chased back to own penalty area and hauled down Torres when Yossi Benayoun scooped the ball through.

Green saved Gerrard's spot-kick but the rebound fell to the Liverpool captain to tap home.

David di Michele should have pulled a goal back when he seized on a mistake by Jamie Carragher. He raced through and got his feet tangled up as he tried to take the ball around Reina.

It was a shocking miss and referee Alan Wiley rubbed salt in the wound by booking the Italian for diving.

Boa Morte was trying to atone for own his first-half error after the restart but one powerful run was ended by Fabio Aurelio, earning the full-back a caution.

Liverpool threatened to score a third, with Benayoun volleying over from Dirk Kuyt's cross and Torres looping a header just over the crossbar.

The Hammers defence looked under pressure but Matthew Upson was exposed in a different way when he received a bloody nose - the centre-back had to strip down to his underwear on the sidelines to change his kit.

Upson was among the players racing back when Liverpool broke on the hour mark, with the hosts saved by Green rushing out to block Kuyt's effort.

Benayoun then exchanged passes with Torres before shaving Green's post with a drive.

There were ironic cheers when Di Michele was taken off for Freddie Sears, as there were when Tristan put the ball in the net after clearly being offside.

The visitors were able to keep out any genuine efforts and added a third through Babel with five minutes remaining.

Kuyt crossed for his fellow Dutchman, Green saved the initial header but the rebound was tapped home.

Liverpool 5 - 0 Aston Villa

Liverpool are breathing down Manchester United's necks in the Barclays Premier League title race after destroying fifth-placed Aston Villa 5-0.

It was the third stunning Liverpool victory in 12 days, having previously put four past Real Madrid and Manchester United.

The champions' lead is now one point - they also have a game in hand - but Liverpool have now scored more goals than Sir Alex Ferguson's men and have also wiped out their goal-difference advantage.

Villa had no answer to a side with a driven desire to take the title from under United's noses.

Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick with a free-kick and two penalties, with the latter one following the dismissal of goalkeeper Brad Friedel for bringing down Reds striker Fernando Torres.

In the first-half Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera had scored, before Gerrard took over with his set-piece onslaught.

Liverpool had Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa back from respective ankle and hamstring injuries that ruled them out of last weekend's win at Manchester United, with Sami Hyypia and Lucas relegated to the bench.

They were joined there by defender Daniel Agger, who has only played one game since mid-December after a variety of injury problems.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill left out striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who has scored only twice since before Christmas and was booed by his club's own fans last weekend. Defender Zat Knight was also on the bench, with John Carew and Curtis Davies back in the side.

There was still a solemn start to the proceedings, with a minute's silence following the death yesterday of 56-year-old club secretary Bryce Morrison, after he had flown back from the Champions League draw in Switzerland.

Morrison, who had worked at Anfield for 17 years, suffered a heart attack at home. Both teams wore black armbands.

The game got off to a blistering start, and after eight minutes Liverpool were ahead.

Alonso's header from Gerrard's free-kick cracked against the bar, and Dirk Kuyt reacted quickest to blast the ball home from 12 yards.

At the other end Ashley Young's cross arrowed in from the left and Carew's flick at the near post almost caught out Jose Reina - but the goalkeeper tipped the ball over the angle.

The contest was ferocious, and Gerrard was then rightly booked for a fierce, late, challenge on Davies.

Then Reina made another outstanding save to his left to claw away a towering header from Carew - who played under Benitez at Valencia.

Liverpool were relentless and after 33 minutes they claimed a second goal.

Reina's 80-yard clearance was allowed to bounce once on the edge of the area by a Villa defence pre-occupied with Torres and Riera took full advantage by smashing the dropping ball high into the net.

It could have been three when Arbeloa intercepted a bad Friedel clearance inside the Villa box, but he chose to pass to Torres rather than shooting himself.

But the third was not long coming. After 39 minutes Riera controlled a searching crossfield pass from Kuyt, and was brought down in the box by Nigel Reo-Coker. Gerrard smashed home the spot-kick.

Any thoughts of a Villa revival were crushed after 50 minutes when Carlos Cuellar brought down Kuyt on the edge of the box and Gerrard drilled the free-kick low to Friedel's left and into the bottom corner.

Former Reds striker Emile Heskey had a header held by Reina, but was by now being employed on the left trying to halt Arbeloa and Kuyt's flow down the flank - with Young switched to a central attacking role.

The ploy did not last long - Agbonlahor replaced Heskey after 58 minutes, with Young back on the line- but things got worse for Villa after 63 minutes when Friedel was dismissed for clashing with Torres and Gerrard drilled home the fifth past Villa's reserve keeper Brad Guzan.

Lucas, Agger and David Ngog replaced Alonso, Arbeloa and Gerrard in the closing minutes of a comprehensive victory.

Benitez issues a quick guide on....

Manchester Utd 1 Liverpool 4:
Benitez issues a quick guide on the way to defeat United

After watching his fast Spanish striker expose the weaknesses he had identified in Manchester United's defence, the 'fat Spanish waiter' was understandably satisfied.

It was Rafa Benitez, after all, who dismissed Arsene Wenger's declaration that United had become 'untouchable'. Benitez who insisted four weeks ago that the champions of England, Europe and the world were not the invincibles Arsenal's manager would have us think.

Kop that: Rafa Benitez masterminds a stunning victory over Manchester United.

United's heaviest defeat at Old Trafford in 17 years was quite a way for Benitez to prove his point and now he only hopes that others, Wenger included, will copy the blueprint of his tactical masterplan.

If Liverpool are to have any hope of catching United, they need the teams still due at Old Trafford to follow the example of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard and use a deadly combination of pace, power and skill to unlock Sir Alex Ferguson's record-breaking back line. As well, that is, as unsettle United's midfield with someone as destructive as Javier Mascherano.

Until Saturday, United were unbeaten at home in the Barclays Premier League this season, having conceded just five goals. Teams were turning up convinced they had no hope of securing even a point. But United are not impenetrable, no team is, and Benitez is now urging others to take note.

In Liverpool's favour is the fact that there is pace in abundance in the teams that United still have to host between now and the end of the season. Aston Villa are at their best when they get the ball out to their wingers and so are Tottenham, while Manchester City and Arsenal also have quick players capable of terrorising Nemanja Vidic and Co.

Man of The Match: Fernando Torres celebrates after hitting the first of Liverpool's four goals.

'I think United have weaknesses,' said Benitez. 'They have quality, a lot of quality in attack, that is the main thing that they have. They are strong in defence because they have plenty of possession. But when they don't have the ball and you move the ball quickly and play behind the defenders, you know you can beat them. We knew that they are really good at playing between the lines with penetrating passes.

'So we needed to stop these passes and put the midfielders under pressure every time they were going to receive the ball; and after that try to play simple and go forward quickly, because it's an offensive team and they are always high.'

Before this encounter, Vidic was a contender for Footballer of the Year. But the manner in which he was terrorised by Torres before receiving a straight red card for his professional foul on Gerrard has probably ruined any chance of that.

Benitez saw something in Vidic that he knew Torres could exploit. 'That was one of the ideas,' he said. 'We knew that maybe with Fernando's movement we could create problems for the defenders.'

Holding court in an Old Trafford press auditorium Ferguson has long refused to appear in after Premier League matches, Benitez was in his element. He had endured the Spanish waiter taunts from United fans and soaked up insults from Ferguson. 'Disturbed' and 'ridiculous' was how Ferguson described him after that outburst in January, adding last Friday that he will need to read 'Freud' to understand his rival.

Smacker: Steven Gerrard¿s TV kiss after his strike from the penalty spot.

Reminded of all that, and the idea he was 'cracking up' in January, Benitez did something on Saturday he so rarely does. He smiled. 'I can guarantee you that I was calm and I am calm,' he said. 'But I had to defend my club and that is what I did.

Seeing red: Nemanja Vidic is given his marching orders.

'I read Freud in school and university but now I try to improve my English. Maybe he will understand me if I say something again but I have a lot of respect for him. We shook hands after the game because he was not talking bad blood. He is a fantastic manager at a big, big club. But I was not worried about myself. I was thinking only about my club. I think Liverpool has been the best team in Europe in the last five years. It is a fact.'

The fact is, though, Liverpool have lacked the consistency of United in the title race. Against their main rivals they have been terrific. Home and away wins against United and Chelsea as well as a draw at Arsenal. The kind of form that usually secures the championship. But precious points have too often been dropped at Anfield.

'It's football and it's difficult to explain why we have dropped points when we have,' said Benitez. 'Still we need to be more consistent against the other teams.'

This performance will give them the confidence to achieve that consistency. Not least the fashion in which they fought back after Pepe Reina's reckless foul on Ji-sung Park invited Cristiano Ronaldo to score from the penalty spot.

Four-midable: Andrea Dossena (left) is congratulated by his team-mates after rounding off Liverpool's magnificent victory.

First came that wonderful equaliser from Torres, then Gerrard's penalty for Patrice Evra's foul on the Liverpool captain, before Fabio Aurelio punished Vidic for his red-card challenge with a fine free-kick and Andrea Dossena outsprinted John O'Shea in pursuit of a Reina kick and sent an audacious lob over Edwin van der Sar.

Contrary to Rio Ferdinand's opinion, the red card was not 'debatable' and contrary to a view expressed by Ferguson, United were not the better team. Not on Saturday anyway.

Two games banned for Vidic

....receiving his marching orders for the foul....

From bad to worse! Vidic nightmare not over as two-game ban rocks Manchester United's title hopes. Nemanja Vidic was yesterday banned for two games as the fallout from a humiliating defeat by Liverpool began to take its toll on Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s rivals are waiting to see just how damaging Saturday’s setback will be to United’s hopes of a hat-trick of Barclays Premier League titles and their pursuit of a clean sweep of trophies.

Nightmare: Vidic blundered to let Fernando Torres in to score Liverpool's first......

Now the sending-off has ruled Vidic out of next weekend’s trip to Fulham and the following league game at home to Aston Villa.

...before flattening Steven Gerrard....

The FA confirmed that the straight red card shown to Vidic for hauling down Steven Gerrard at Old Trafford will mean a two-game suspension because it comes on the back of his dismissal for two bookings in the 2-1 defeat at Anfield last September.

At least Ferguson has an accomplished replacement in Jonny Evans to partner Rio Ferdinand at the heart of his defence and Ji-sung Park is confident Saturday’s defeat will not stop United retaining the title.

...and watching Fabio Aurelio curl home the resulting free-kick

Park said: ‘If we produce good performances, like we have been doing, for the rest of our league games this defeat will not be a big problem.’

Meanwhile, Liverpool have been told by UEFA president Michel Platini that the ruling body will try to avoid forcing the club to play the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on April 15, the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

Liverpool 4 - 1 Manchester United

It had looked rosy when Cristiano Ronaldo converted a first-half penalty, but an uncharacteristically nervy display at the back allowed Liverpool back into this match; and the subsequent 4-1 defeat means the Reds’ lead at the top is chopped to four points, albeit with a game in hand.

Ronaldo put United ahead but three defensive mistakes led to Liverpool goals, and Nemanja Vidic’s second-half sending-off, which preceded the visitors' third goal, put paid to taking any points. In truth, this wasn’t a great day at the office, it never quite clicked into place. But one thing is certain: this defeat must be used to propel the Reds forward in the title race. The team responds well to set-backs, and this is only a minor stumble.

United made three changes from the team that beat Internazionale in midweek. Whereas Sir Alex chose the experience of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs against Jose Mourinho’s men, the Reds boss favoured the energy and youthful vigour of Anderson and Ji-sung Park, while Carlos Tevez partnered Wayne Rooney in place of Dimitar Berbatov.

It must have stuck in the throats of Liverpool’s players and fans when United were welcomed onto the field as “the Champions of England, the Champions of Europe, and the Champions of the World”. Such is United’s dominance these days that the roles are reversed from when Liverpool dominated at home and abroad years ago.

The shouts of “United, United” were deafening as the teams kicked off, and the sheer gravity of how potentially decisive this match could be added extra spice, though it was hardly needed. Liverpool, who knew that they had to win to keep alive their ailing title hopes, were forced into a change when Alvaro Arbeloa was injured during the warm-up and replaced by Sami Hyypia.

United made the early running, while Liverpool started with a game-plan of containment, a 4-5-1 formation aimed at constricting United’s free-flowing football, but the Reds were urged on by the fans, the coaching staff and Rooney screaming at his team-mates to press forward. The start typified both team’s styles; United brooding with attacking intent, Liverpool patient and poker-faced.

The visitors blinked first. Tevez slotted a pass through the channel to Park on 23 minutes, and the midfielder was wiped out by Pepe Reina – referee Alan Wiley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Ronaldo stood poised ready to strike from twelve yards and his perfectly-placed kick was followed with a collective roar of approval and rousing “We shall not be moved” as Old Trafford bounced and rocked.

The lead lasted only five minutes, however, after a rare error from Vidic, who failed to deal with a high ball forward from Reina. Whether it was the intermittent spring sunshine or indecision, he let the ball bounce and Fernando Torres nipped the ball off his toes. The Serb stumbled and Torres was left to slip the ball past the onrushing Edwin van der Sar. It was a frustrating leveller, largely undeserved and just as the Reds had appeared to take control.

United immediately looked to make amends when Reina just held onto a deflected Ronaldo free-kick, and shortly before half time Michael Carrick sent a wicked shot just over the bar. But seconds later Liverpool took the lead. Gerrard latched onto Torres’ pass and Patrice Evra brought him down. The Liverpool skipper calmly despatched his spot-kick, though Edwin guessed the right way.

In the second half, no doubt with Sir Alex’s words still ringing in their ears, the United players pressed forward, roared on by the Old Trafford crowd. Reina was twice lucky to escape after spilling crosses, once allowing the ball to rebound off his post, another dropped on the goal line. But neither occasion gleaned an equaliser. Nor did Ronaldo’s flashed cross on 63 minutes, or the return ball from Rooney which Tevez couldn’t quite reach. But United were definitely in the ascendancy.

Tevez had an even better chance on 70 minutes when Carrick’s lofted pass found him free in the area. He chested the ball down but could apply the finish. Shortly afterwards, United made a triple substitution with Berbatov, Scholes and Giggs coming on for Carrick, Anderson and Park. But United’s hopes of turning this match around were all but curtailed when Vidic was given a straight red card for hauling down Gerrard who was through on goal, and to make matters worse Fabio Aurelio curled the resulting free-kick into the top corner of van der Sar’s goal.

It all but snuffed out even the slimmest hopes of a Reds recovery and Andrea Dossena's late lob compounded matters and made this a day to forget. Liverpool may claim the bragging rights and a double over United in the league this season, but Sir Alex and co's sights are set on bigger prizes.