Liverpool clearly missed the goalscoring prowess of Michael Owen in a match that saw too many golden chances go begging.
The home team piled on the pressure from the start creating several good opportunities in the opening ten minutes.
Vladimir Smicer sliced through the defence like butter to set up El Hadji Diouf but his shot was blocked and the rebound easily cleared by Rio Ferdinand.
With the Anfield faithful cheering every tough tackle the match took a turn and it became a gritty battle.
Three United players surrounded the referee after he failed to blow his whistle for a crunching Steven Gerrard tackle on Quinton Fortune, but moments later Sami Hyypia sent Diego Forlan flying over the advertising boards and into the stands when he slid in to secure the ball by the touchline.
Both teams came out from half time hungry to break the deadlock, but it was Harry Kewell who gave Tim Howard his first real fright of the game with a thunderous right-foot shot that the United keeper did superbly to tip over the bar.
However, it was Manchester United who took the lead in the 59th minute. Jerzy Dudek couldn't get his hands onto an in-swinging Ryan Giggs cross which was intended for Ruud van Nistelrooy and the ball sailed into the back of the net.
And it was Giggs again 11 minutes later who stuck a dagger into the hearts of the Liverpool fans, when he latched on to a deft ball from Roy Keane and rocketed a shot past the hapless Dudek.
However United's comfort was short lived and Kewell grabbed a consolation goal in the 76th minute, reacting quickly after Emile Heskey's shot had rebounded away.
This awakened the silent home crowd but their rallying cries failed to spur Liverpool on to grab an equaliser, despite creating several chances.