Two goals from Wayne Rooney sent Manchester United back to the top of the table after defeating Liverpool in a tense and nervy encounter at Old Trafford which was sadly and predictably played amongst the back-drop of the Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra race-row.
Before the match even started, Suarez unexpectedly refused to shake Evra’s hand despite Kenny Dalglish’s claims in the build-up to the game that the little Uruguayan would draw a line under the race-row and shake Evra’s hand in the traditional show of respect before kick-off.
It was a bad plot for the game to start off with and one that in all honesty tainted the match-day, adding more fuel to the fire making the atmosphere on the pitch and in the stands even more hostile, when it was going to be bad-enough already.
Suarez almost got Liverpool off to a great start when he ran clear after 20 seconds but was stopped at running through on goal to face David De Gea thanks to Rio Ferdinand getting in a block, doing so seconds before he collided with Evra who looked intent on stopping the Uruguayan too.
Glen Johnson was impressing early on for Liverpool linking up well with Dirk Kuyt and a good run from the England right-back caught Evra off guard, opening up time and space for a shot on goal which thankfully for Untied and David De Gea sailed narrowly wide.
United then began to give Liverpool a taste of their own medicine as Antonio Valencia and Rafael began to trouble the visitors left-back Jose Enrique. Good play from the duo ended with Rafael seeing a scruffy effort saved by Pepe Reina.
Danny Welbeck was working hard up top alongside Wayne Rooney and after narrowly failing to stab Rafael’s shot in began linking up well with the Brazilian and Valencia in particular as the young forward began to plant his authority on the pitch.
Paul Scholes was rolling back the years in midfield alongside Michael Carrick and should have got the game’s first goal on 30 minutes but headed an easy chance in the six-yard box straight at Reina after a beautifully created move.
It was a chance that you would have expected Scholes to score in his sleep and came after a great cross from Giggs which came after good work from Scholes, Rooney and Welbeck in a move that Liverpool simply couldn’t react to let alone stop.
Liverpool were now on the back-foot as United looked destined to get a goal before the break but Evra headed a tough chance over before Welbeck screwed a shot wide inside the area after slightly losing his balance under a Daniel Agger challenge.
Referee Phil Dowd was called into action seconds before half-time when a moment of hesitation in United’s defence allowed Suarez to race clear. After nipping the ball past Evra, he was brought to ground under a challenge by Ferdinand.
The Uruguayan was furious with Dowd’s decision not to award a free-kick in his favour despite Ferdinand doing just enough to win the ball cleanly. It was a good decision from the match-official and one that infuriated Suarez much to the delight of the United supporters.
With tempers spoiling into the tunnel as the players made their way back to the changing-rooms, the second half couldn’t come soon enough. When it did, Liverpool came out sluggish and United took full advantage.
A Ryan Giggs corner two minutes after the restart was flicked on by Jordan Henderson under pressure from Carrick with Rooney clinically volleying the ball in first-time past Reina with the ball going past the goalkeeper before he could even move.
Old Trafford was roaring and three minutes later Untied’s lead was doubled with Rooney again the scorer. Valencia winning the ball from Jay Spearing after giving it away, threaded the ball through into the area for Rooney to poke home under Reina’s legs.
Liverpool and Dalglish were shell-shocked and with Steven Gerrard unable to grab any control of the game, United slipped into cruise-mode with Carrick, Giggs and Scholes at the heart of the action frustrating the visitors with their ball-retention skills.
Rooney came close to grabbing a hat-trick but shot an easy chance wide following good by Valencia and Scholes before Welbeck dragged a tough looking chance straight at Reina after doing well to hold of Agger inside the area.
Referee Phil Dowd was called into action seconds before half-time when a moment of hesitation in United’s defence allowed Suarez to race clear. After nipping the ball past Evra, he was brought to ground under a challenge by Ferdinand.
The Uruguayan was furious with Dowd’s decision not to award a free-kick in his favour despite Ferdinand doing just enough to win the ball cleanly. It looked a tight decision but one that Dowd much to the delight of the home support had got right.
With tempers spoiling into the tunnel as the players made their way back to the changing-rooms, the second half couldn’t come soon enough. When it did, Liverpool came out sluggish and United as they have so often done in the past took full advantage.
A Ryan Giggs corner two minutes after the restart was flicked on by Jordan Henderson under pressure from Carrick with Rooney clinically volleying the ball in first-time past Reina with the ball going past the goalkeeper before he could even move.
Old Trafford was roaring and three minutes later Untied’s lead was doubled with Rooney again the scorer. Valencia winning the ball from Jay Spearing after giving it away, threaded the ball through into the area for Rooney to poke home under Reina’s legs.
Liverpool and Dalglish were shell-shocked and with Steven Gerrard unable to grab any control of the game, United slipped into cruise-mode with Carrick, Giggs and Scholes at the heart of the action frustrating the visitors with their ball-retention skills.
Rooney came close to grabbing a hat-trick but shot an easy chance wide following good by Valencia and Scholes before Welbeck dragged a tough looking chance straight at Reina after doing well to hold of Agger inside the area.
Kenny Dalglish had had enough of his team being dominated and made a double change with Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll coming on in a double subsition before Charlie Adam came on for Liverpool’s final subsititon.
After Rafael lost the ball on a United attack, Liverpool broke clear and Suarez went down under a Carrick challenge some 40 yards from goal. Adam swung in the free-kick deep into the area. The ball deflected unkindly off Ferdinand with Suarez tucking the ball in from two yards.
It was a goal that breathed life back into Liverpool’s challenge giving them the edge in the 10 remaining minutes of the match. Now United looked nervous but they held on to a deserved victory with De Gea doing well top tip over a testing Johnson shot late on.
At full-time Evra predictability perhaps let his emotion out jubilantly celebrating in front of the United fans who were just as jubilant in their celebrations as their French captain. For Suarez and Liverpool it was a sour end to a day that they will sadly regret.
United: De Gea, Evra, Evans, Ferdinand, Rafael, Giggs, Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Rooney, Welbeck.
Star Man
Both Jonny Evans and Rafael have impressed recently and they cannot be split in terms of this award. Evans is looking steadier in a United shirt and whilst he’s not the finished article as a centre-half, pleasingly his form since the turn of the year has been exceptional. Rafael’s positioning has improved, looking far more composed than last season.
By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87
