Liverpool 0-1 Man
Utd
Manchester United rode their luck to snatch a hugely fortunate
victory and take a giant stride towards the title with John
O'Shea's injury time winner. United lost Wayne Rooney through
injury and saw Paul Scholes sent off late on for a clash with Xabi
Alonso as Liverpool exerted total domination. But substitute O'Shea
pounced after Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina fumbled Cristiano
Ronaldo's free-kick.
Edwin van der Sar had earlier saved brilliantly from Peter Crouch.
Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated the winner in his own unique fashion
on the touchline, and it was easy to see why after his side had
somehow fashioned a crucial three points.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez resisted the temptation to field
an under-strength side ahead of the Champions League meeting with
Barcelona at Anfield on Tuesday. And they had the better of a
patchy, and predictably hard-fought, first 45 minutes.
John Arne Riise was within inches of putting Liverpool ahead after
26 minutes, sending a low, driven free-kick narrowly wide. United
escaped again four minutes later when Craig Bellamy robbed the
uncertain Nemanja Vidic, but his cross flashed along the six-yard
line with Dirk Kuyt unable to apply the final touch.
Liverpool were rarely troubled, although Jamie Carragher had to
intervene bravely to deny Rooney as he shaped to shoot inside the
area. The momentum was all with Liverpool as the second half
started - and they did everything but score as United were pinned
back.
Steven Gerrard shot over from 12 yards, and Bellamy forced a save
from Van der Sar low down before having a close-range effort ruled
out for offside. Riise then fired a rising drive just over the top
from 25 yards as Liverpool dominated a strangely lack-lustre
United.
The game had become a disappointing stalemate, with United
replacing an ineffective Henrik Larsson - on his final Premiership
appearance before returning to Helsingborg - with Louis Saha. And
United suffered a blow with 18 minutes left when Rooney limped off
with a gashed this after a high challenge with Carragher.
Saha was at the centre of penalty claims with 12 minutes left when
he tumbled under challenge from Daniel Agger, but referee Martin
Atkinson was unmoved. United then threatened a smash-and-grab when
the previously unemployed Reina needed to scoop away a header from
Ronaldo. Scholes and Alonso had been involved in a succession of
spats, and the United star saw red after he raised his hand in the
direction of the Spanish midfield man.
Van der Sar then produced a pivotal moment, diving acrobatically to
his left to palm away Crouch's shot. And just as United seemed
happy to settle for a point, Reina dropped Ronaldo's free-kick at
the feet of O'Shea, who slammed his finish into the rook of the
net.
