Liverpool 2-1 Man United Match Report

Ryan Babel came off the bench to help Liverpool beat Manchester United 2-1 in an exciting Premiership clash at Anfield on Saturday. It was also Rafa Benitez’s first league win over their bitterest rivals as in charge of the Reds.
The victory puts Liverpool at the top of the table after four games, ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Manchester City later on Saturday.
Carlos Tevez put Sir Alex Ferguson’s side up early into the game, but the Merseysiders got on level terms courtesy of Wes Brown own goal. Substitute Babel scored the winner late in the second half.

The Red Devils got off to a great start with summer-signing Dimitar Berbatov on debut, and Tevez up front, while Wayne Rooney started on the right flank.
Berbatov had the first crack at the rivals from the penalty area after a confident passing move by United, but the former Spurs striker’s shot struck defender Martin Skrtel’s arm prompting stifled calls for a penalty kick. But Howard Webb saw nothing wrong.

United did not have to wait for long to make the breakthrough as they took the lead inside three minutes with Berbatov laying the ball for Tevez to find the target.

The classy Bulgarian took the ball to the right by-line sucking Javier Mascherano and Fabio Aurelio leaving gap for Tevez to move in to the area and pulled the ball back for the Argentine, who fired the ball past Pepe Reina from the centre of the area.

The Reds had almost a perfect response as Dirk Kuyt showed good technique to volley with outside of his foot, only to see the shot from 20 yards, miss the target narrowly.
The home side improved tremendously with the passage of time and it was more of an even contest thereafter.

In the 12th minute, Reds had a great chance off a corner by Aurelio as Van der Sar lost the ball, however, Kuyt’s shot from left side of six-yard box was blocked in a goalmouth scramble by the Dutch keeper.

Reds debutante Albert Riera showed flashes of his talent in dribbling skills and quick runs on the left wing. He also had a claim for a penalty kick.
United gave away an own goal in the 27th minute as Van der Sar and right-back Wes Brown made a mess of a deflected ball. Xabi Alonso’s long ranger was deflected by Evra and the ball was heading for the left side of the penalty area when the United keeper came up with an injudicious dive only to flap the ball on Brown and the rebound took the ball into the net.

Tevez almost put United back in front as his cleverly-timed flick went over the cross bar after Anderson sent a superb ball from left.
Liverpool enjoyed a confident start to the second half as they put pressure on United, who however, saw Evra make a couple of crucial clearances – first off a cross from Riera and then Robbie Keane.

In a rare attack by United after the restart, Paul Scholes unleashed a long-ranger, that was however over the bar. But the the Reds kept on knocking on the door at the other end.
Liverpool opened up the United defence with Keane making floated angular ball for Benayoun, whose run was clever, but the Israeli failed to control the ball to keep it in play. Soon after, Keane missed a great opportunity as he could not make contact with Mascherano’s attempted shot.

Growing in confidence, the Reds grew adventurous as centre-back Skrtel bombed up with a run and tested Van der Sar with a fierce strike just past the hour mark.

Berbatov looked to be struggling with a knock and received treatment on the sideline for an apparent knee problem. And with United not having a striker on the bench, Ferguson kept the 27-year-old on.

Benitez introduced England midfielder Steven Gerrard in the 68th minute taking off Benayoun. The regular Reds skipper had started on the bench after recovering from a groin operation.

Reina, who was untroubled for most part of the second half, made a supped finger-tip save off a stunning long-ranger from substitute Ryan Giggs in the 70th minute.

Mounting unrelenting pressure in the second half, the Reds finally got their due as substitute Babel made it 2-1 for the home side in the 77th minute after Mascherano and Kuyt combined from the right side following a patient build-up. United veteran Giggs kept the ball inexplicably in play rather than clearing the ball to safety when Mascherano was in pursuit and the Argentine gained possession to set up Kuyt, who in turn found the Dutchman Babel unmarked at the top of the box.

Mascherano, who had been excellent in the second half, had to leave the field with a strain and Benitez sent on defender Sami Hyypia in the closing stages of the game. United were down to 10 men when defender Nemanja Vidic was sent off after two bookings at the end of regulation time, and Liverpool held out in the frantic closing minutes for a deserving victory.

Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Carragher, Skrtel, Alonso, Mascherano (Hyypia 87), Riera (Babel 72), Benayoun (Gerrard 68), Keane, Kuyt.
Substitutes not used: Cavalieri, Dossena, Ngog, Torres.

Man United: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Anderson (Nani 78), Carrick (Giggs 46), Scholes (Hargreaves 66), Rooney, Tevez, Berbatov.
Substitutes not used: Kuszczak, Evans, O’Shea, Fletcher.

by Niraj Prabhu