Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1
Rio Ferdinand saw his return to Manchester United colours overshadowed by
defensive colleague Mikael Silvestre who powered home the goals that beat
Liverpool at Old Trafford.
After eight months as a frustrated spectator, Ferdinand's comeback dominated
the build-up to one the traditionally fiery north-west encounter.
The England man's presence definitely appeared to instil greater backbone into
a United defence that has crumbled too often for Sir Alex Ferguson's liking, but
neither player nor manager expected the post-match chatter to centre around
another member of the hosts rearguard.
Yet that is exactly what happened as Silvestre powered home identical headers
either side of the break to give United a deserved victory, end a run of four
successive draws and close the gap on champions Arsenal to seven points.
Rafael Benitez has made a positive impression since replacing Gerard Houllier
during the summer but the Spaniard will have to sort out the slack marking that
allowed Silvestre to rise unchallenged deep inside the area first to meet a Ryan
Giggs free-kick, then the Welshman's corner.
The second effort will be hotly disputed by Liverpool, as the Giggs appeared
to be the last person to touch the ball as he challenged Sami Hyypia.
But there was no doubting the conviction with which Silvestre met the ball,
ensuring John O'Shea was not left lamenting the one blot on an otherwise superb
central midfield performance.
It was pure bad luck that O'Shea happened to be standing almost on top of Roy
Carroll when the Northern Irishman, predictably given his chance after a
catalogue of recent blunders from Tim Howard, palmed away a Steve Finnan
header.
Neither United man could react fast enough to do anything but turn in horror
as the ball rolled slowly over the line but, thanks to Silvestre, it did not
prove to be the pivotal moment of the game.
Ferdinand's return had been widely predicted as a obvious solution to the
defensive problems that have consigned United to an unusual mid-table berth even
at this early stage of the season.
Yet anyone observing the breathtaking first 45 minutes who had not seen the
Red Devils in action already would have wondered what the fuss was all about.
Djibril Cisse did have one early chance to put Liverpool in front but aside
from that the visitors were on a sodden Manchester
evening, swamped.
On the night he became only the third United player to make 600 appearances
for the club, Giggs can be delighted with his personal contribution but yet
again his wing twin Cristiano Ronaldo produced all the trickery, leaving the
Liverpool defence floundering.
Once the young Portuguese star gains the vision to match his skill, few
defenders in the world will be able to live with him. As it is, there is still
some work for Ferguson to do, although not as much as the beleaguered Liverpool
defence were faced with trying to stop him.
Wary of making a rash challenge, the Reds defenders stood off Ronaldo in the
early stages and by the time they changed their tactics, the winger was
unstoppable.
He would have put United in front had his superb 30-yard drive not come
crashing back off a post with Jerzy Dudek well beaten.
Dudek was one of the few Liverpool players who performed to their potential in
the opening period, which was just as well otherwise United would have been out
of sight.
Van Nistelrooy, Gabriel Heinze and O'Shea all might have beaten the Pole but
did not and United also had what appeared to be a certain penalty claim turned
down when Sami Hyypia dragged van Nistelrooy back by the collar as the Dutchman
attempted to reach Wes Brown's lay-off.
The succession of spurned chances meant Liverpool went into the interval with
a vestige of hope, although that was tempered by the loss of Steven Gerrard with
what appeared to be a nasty-looking foot injury.
Benitez clearly expressed some choice words at the break given the extra
determination his side started the second period with.
Even so, it scarcely deserved the good fortune that brought Liverpool an
equaliser that will surely go down in the record books as an O'Shea own goal.
Briefly, with Gerrard's replacement Dietmar Hamann winning his midfield battle
with Roy Keane, Liverpool seized control and it was then Ferdinand came into his
own, shoring up a United back four that might otherwise have crumbled.
Having switched wings with Ronaldo, Giggs set about emulating his young
team-mate and it was one of his darts down the right flank that earned the
disputed corner off Hyypia from which Silvestre powered home the winner.
Teams
Man Utd Carroll, Brown, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Heinze, Ronaldo,
O'Shea, Keane, Giggs, Scholes (Smith 85), van Nistelrooy.
Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Kleberson, Fletcher, Ricardo.
Booked: Keane.
Goals: Silvestre 20, 66.
Liverpool Dudek, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Finnan,
Gerrard (Hamann 39), Alonso, Kewell, Luis Garcia,
Cisse (Baros 67).
Subs Not Used: Diao, Traore, Kirkland.
Booked: Josemi, Alonso.
Goals: O'Shea 54 og.
Att: 67,857
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
