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Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
Ala the Manchester City home fixture last season, the fans &
the managers expectations of how to play against our
fiercest rivals was nothing but sheer embarrassment as
Liverpool beat Manchester United 4-1 @ Old Trafford, United
played better than against Man City last season, but this
team performance & embarrassing score line was down to
individual mistakes & sloppy play as United gifted their
great rivals three points.
An opening goal in the form of a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty
gave United the lead on twenty minutes, before Liverpool
equalized when Fernando Torres took full advantage of a
monumental gaffe from Nemanja Vidic. Liverpool
followed up with a Gerrard penalty, an impressive free kick
from Aurelio, before Dossena capped off the worst defeat
United have received in Premiership history.
SAF opted to pair Carrick & Anderson in midfield whilst
giving Carlos Tevez & Wayne Rooney the forward positions
with as per usual Ronaldo in support from the flanks.
With Liverpool leaving Torres as a lone striker in front of
a 5 man midfield, this left United short on bodies in
midfield as Anderson & especially Michael Carrick failed to
shift United into 2nd gear leaving Lucas, the goofy Scouse
Argentina representative & Liverpool's other midfielders
untouched & unchallenged with relatively little to do to
stop the usual torrent of attacks from the home side.
Quick to pressure
the visitors United started the brightest with corners &
Wayne Rooney moving out wide to try to pressure Carthorse
Carragher who was forced into a fullback role due to an
injury before kick off.
Carragher also later blocked a decent shooting chance from
JSP as United pressured the visitors goal for a spell.
With both teams still feeling each other out, United took a
deserved lead when a poor decision from the usually reliable
Pepe Reina saw the Spanish keeper race of his line after
Tevez had slipped a ball through for Park & with no real
danger as Park clipped the ball past Liverpool's keeper the
South Korean was sent flying in the penalty box before Alan
Wiley pointed to the spot.
From the penalty spot, Ronaldo send United 1-0 ahead as he
dispatched his penalty sending Old Trafford into raptures
shortly before the self destruct button was hit.
The penalty
signaled the beginning of Manchester United's impending doom
in the match as with no arguments from even to thickest
scouser we contributed to our own downfall with as SAF said
in the last match "Suicidal" football, getting away with
slack marking, mistakes & general sloppy play against Inter,
it was not to be against our friends from down the East
Lancs Road.
United under no pressure whatsoever saw a long ball from the
right from Skrtel hoofed long & high into United half & with
United player of the season as per usual first to react, the
Serbian decided not to head the ball into a neutral zone
"bad decision" thus now entering himself into a footrace
with Torres, who punished the usually flawless United centre
back by gathering, running into the box & coolly beating
EVDS with an angled shot.
United continued to waste possession & mostly free kicks as
Ronaldo time & time again struck a wall before Jamie
Carragher saw a yellow card for a trip on Carlos Tevez as
the Argentine broke from outside the box.
The resulting free kick from a dangerous area was again
wasted as Ronaldo in a better position to shoot, rolled a
pass to Rooney who's effort was blocked.
Keeping Liverpool at arms length & limiting the visitors to
scraps in front of goal the remaining period of the 1st half
United controlled but still wasteful in possession until the
peripheral figure of Michael Carrick smartly turned ran at
goal & smashed a ripping effort just over the bar.
With only minutes left in the 1st half & the game still by
no stretch of the imagination over at 1-1, and the bonus of
United looking the better team, the Charity case that was
United gifted Liverpool with more ridiculous "suicidal"
defending as Torres on one of Liverpool's rare forays into
United penalty box passed to the onrushing Gerrard on the
right who was cut down in the box by Patrice Evra.
Patrice Evra's decision to slide late on Gerrard with two
United defenders in the box & Anderson & Ferdinand arriving
totally out numbered the solitary Liverpool striker Torres,
but as EVDS dived correctly to his left (Editor: don't
give EVDS anymore advice please Carlos Tevez) the United
keeper got a hand to the Liverpool captain penalty but it
was alas too strong as Liverpool took the lead.
After SAF's 1st half team talk United responded with
probably their best patch of the game in a decent showing
Ronaldo hit a free kick finally on target before Carlos
Tevez almost bundled in a corner as Reina was less than
convincing in his quest to gather the ball.
Liverpool doggedly defended well getting headers & blocks in
the way of anything that United had to offer as United
bossed proceeding in the possession stakes.
With the threat of something coming United's way, Ronaldo
from the right crossed deep into the back post where Wayne
Rooney managed to deliver a dangerous pass to Carlos Tevez
who under pressure from Skertl just and so managed slip and
miss the ball from two yards out.
With 65 minutes
gone Liverpool finally mustered a shot on goal through
Lucas, but the Liverpool midfielder shot straight at EVDS
who had little to do up until this point.
The visitors saw a patch of possession without really
troubling United's defence before Carlos Tevez gathered a
dinked Michael Carrick pass, but in a congested penalty box
Tevez on the turn failed to get any sort of power in his
shot before the ball travelled wide.
Still in the game & Liverpool not looking dangerous SAF
rolled his die introducing Scholes, Giggs & Berbatov for
some inspiration & shortly before United were finally dead &
buried Ronaldo spotted a run of Tevez into the box, but the
Argentine failed to connect.
More stupid
defending came next as Patrice Evra cruelly exposed Vidic
after the French full back exposed his left side when he
dashed across the pitch to tackle Dirk Kuyt, a clever flick
from the Dutchman left Evra in central midfield & Nemanja
Vidic open to the elements as a "crap" Vidic touch gave
Gerrard another gift as he smelt blood as surely he would
run untouched on goal.
A rugby style tackle later from the Serb & he was sent down
the tunnel as Alan Wiley gave him a deserved Red card as
Liverpool players pleaded for a Red to be shown.
 From
the resulting foul & sending off Aurelio curled a impressive
free-kick past the statuesque EVDS for 3-1.
With your Editor looking on with a face liked a smacked arse
(see below Wayne Rooney's right hand)
Liverpool through another Evra mistake almost scored a
fourth when substitute Ryan Babel back heeled to an unmarked
Steven Gerrard, but his effort landed in the Stretford car
park.
Dossena then added a fourth when JOS was burned by the pace
of the Liverpool sub from a nothing long ball & assist from
of all people Liverpool's keeper.
The most unusual thing about this game is that from barring
mistakes, this game probably, but wasn't a draw.
You've won 2 battles Liverpool, but come May will you win
the war.
What's your
opinion?.....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW |
Ronaldo (pen 23 mins).
