'Rio was grand and Old Trafford is buzzing again.
Manchester United’s £30million central defender returned from an eight-month ban for missing a drug test and looked like he had never been away. Ferdinand’s drug is football. That is how he gets his highs.
Sky awarding him the Man of the Match champagne was a bit over the top though. Two-goal Mikael Silvestre and the mercurial Cristiano Ronaldo will feel hard done-by. Mind you, Ferdinand was good. He was first to almost every challenge and fit as a flea, beating Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse for pace time and again.
To keep going in the second half, Ferdinand was munching on chocolate bars provided by the United coaching staff. He made it to the end — an outstanding performance considering he had not even played a warm-up game since his last appearance on January 17.
This was only United’s second win in six Premiership matches but Ferdinand’s confidence spread a new belief throughout the team.
The crowd responded too. Old Trafford can be a mausoleum at times but the fans were bouncing from the off.
United deserved to win, although the manner of their victory will have infuriated Liverpool.
The visitors were beaten by two dead-ball deliveries from Ryan Giggs which were headed in by Silvestre but, on each occasion, the kick was wrongly awarded to United.
For the opener on 20 minutes, Liverpool central defender Sami Hyypia was deemed to have fouled Paul Scholes on the touchline when he did nothing but put the ball out for a throw. That said, the marking was a disgrace as Giggs slung over a deep free-kick and Silvestre enjoyed the freedom of Manchester to head down and in at the far post.
Liverpool, who were a poor second best for the first hour, equalised in the 54th minute when Xabi Alonso’s free-kick found Steve Finnan. The Irishman headed back into the danger area and the ball rolled over the line via a combination of keeper Roy Carroll, in for the axed Tim Howard, and John O’Shea. At first referee Graham Poll did not give it but the linesman confirmed it was good.
On 66 minutes came the winner and, once more, Hyypia did not get the rub of the green.
The Finnish defender chased down Giggs and the ball bounced out of play off the Welsh wizard.
Giggs, playing his 600th game for the club, put his hand up more in hope than expectation but got the verdict, to Hyypia’s annoyance. From the corner Giggs arrowed another one at Silvestre, who climbed above John Arne Riise and powered a header into the net.'