Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1

Last updated : 20 September 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Write off Manchester United's title hopes at your peril! Even after this excellent Old Trafford win over bitter rivals Liverpool, United may be seven points behind leaders Arsenal, but this was a performance to post a shudder down the spines of the other Premiership sides.

A 2-1 scoreline sounds close, but the Red Devils were a class apart from a Liverpool team totally under the cosh in an opening half of relentless United pressure.

Rio Ferdinand returned to United's brittle backbone after his eight-month ban for failing to attend a drugs test and looked to have never been away.

He added a composure and reading of the game sadly lacking for so many months with a series of precision interceptions.

His central defensive partner, Mikael Silvestre, often a target for critics, looked a different player from the accident-prone centre-back of recent weeks.

Wes Brown fitted in to Gary Neville's right-back berth like a fish to water and left Gabriel Heinze providing both bite and an accuracy of crossing so vital to United's pattern of play.

In midfield, Roy Keane's self-criticism acted as the perfect catalyst for a return to the inspirational form expected of him. His former boss at Nottingham Forest, Brian Clough, who died earlier today, would surely be smiling down on the Irishman.

But on a night of a thousand stars, the brightest was undoubtedly Cristiano Ronaldo. His twinkling toes and blistering pace left the Liverpool defence dizzy.

The 19-year-old Portuguese winger switched flanks with regularity, looking equally at ease on either the right or left, and his performance brought out the best in United's other wide man, Ryan Giggs.

It was Ronaldo who was a lick of paint away from putting United ahead in the tenth minute.

He led Liverpool's midfielders and defence a merry dance to produce the space for a blistering 12-yard drive which hit the post with keeper Jerzy Dudek well beaten.

United should have had a penalty two minutes later when Ruud van Nistelrooy was pulled back by Sami Hyypia after he had skinned the Finn when chasing a Brown pass.

But the Dutchman stayed on his feet and Dudek turned his eight-yard shot behind with his legs.

United deservedly broke the deadlock in the 20th minute.

Hyypia fouled Paul Scholes on the touchline near the corner flag and Giggs floated the perfect inswinging free-kick to the far post where Silvestre ghosted in unmarked to head home from four yards.

United had other chances to increase their lead.

Van Nistelrooy twice had headers on target, while Heinze produced an amazing header from the edge of the Liverpool box when he met Ronaldo's 35th minute corner only for Dudek to tip over the bar.

Liverpool lost Steven Gerrard through injury in the 40th minute and it was later confirmed he had suffered a broken metatarsal which will keep him out of action for up to eight weeks - a big blow for both club and country.

Liverpool had to improve after a woeful first half and they were thrown a lifeline in the 54th minute.

Xabi Alonso's deep free-kick from the left was met by Steve Finnan beyond the far post and the ball hit United's John O'Shea on the line and trickled into the net.

But this was a night when United was not going to buckle.

In the 66th minute, Giggs' perfect corner into the centre of the Liverpool box was met by Silvestre and his header from 12 yards rocketed into the net.

United did have one further scare when an audacious 40-yard shot by Alonso almost caught Roy Carroll off his line, but the keeper managed to recover and collect the ball on the right side of the line with his body over it.

A draw would have been unfair to a rampant United and remember there is still the small matter of Wayne Rooney.