Liverpool's fully deserved 3-1
victory over Manchester United
at Anfield may not ultimately
prevent their arch-rivals
surpassing the Reds' 18 league
titles at the end of the season.
- Kuyt: Hat-trick is best feeling
ever - Jolly: Dalglish rewarded for
birthday boldness
It has, however, dented Sir Alex
Ferguson's side's hopes of a
straightforward run-in and at
the same time restored some
pride for the Reds after two
defeats at Old Trafford already
this campaign.
Dirk Kuyt grabbed the headlines
with a first Liverpool hat-trick
against United since Peter
Beardsley's in September 1990,
before Javier Hernandez headed
an injury-time consolation - but
there were many more who
deserved the plaudits.
Tireless livewire Luis Suarez had a
hand in all three goals while Lucas
Leiva and Raul Meireles produced
impressive midfield performances.
The afternoon was capped off
with a long-awaited debut for
£35million record signing Andy
Carroll after more than two
months on the sidelines with a
thigh injury.
For United their second-choice
central defensive partnership of
Wes Brown and Chris Smalling,
deputising for the suspended
Nemanja Vidic and injured Rio
Ferdinand, never looked
comfortable on an afternoon
when very few of visiting team
reached anywhere near the
exacting standards Ferguson
demands.
They still remain top of the table,
and it is difficult to bet against
them being in that position come
May, but two defeats in five days
- having lost at Chelsea in
midweek - leave plenty of
questions to be answered.
While Carroll had claimed all the
adulation prior to kick-off, when
the action got going it was his
fellow January arrival Suarez who
had an effect where it mattered
most.
The Uruguay international, a
£22.7million transfer from Ajax,
had one early effort prodded at
Edwin van der Sar but that was
merely a precursor to a piece of
brilliance to set up the opener.
When he collected the ball on the
left of the penalty area his route
to goal was blocked by a number
of opponents but his quick feet
saw him weave past Rafael,
Michael Carrick and Wes Brown on
his way to the byline.
From there he squared the ball
through Van der Sar's legs to
present Kuyt with a tap-in from
just inches.
Suarez could claim to have had a
hand in the next one too - but
the main credit had to go to Nani,
who had a defensive aberration.
The Portugal international
inexplicably headed the
Uruguayan's cross back into his
own six-yard area where Kuyt
gleefully nodded in.
Liverpool's lead was fully
deserved but it had been United
who had come closest to scoring
prior to Kuyt's 34th-minute
strike.
Dimitar Berbatov, scorer of a
match-winning hat-trick in their
Old Trafford league encounter,
volleyed Wayne Rooney's
knockdown against the outside of
Jose Reina's right-hand post.
The rivalry between the teams,
England's dominant pairing over
the last four decades, was
evident in the closing stages of
the first half.
Jamie Carragher, switched to
right-back after Fabio Aurelio
went off injured, was lucky to
escape with just a booking after
a reckless shin-high tackle on
Nani.
However, the Portuguese,
already at fault for the second
goal, disgraced himself by
collapsing to the floor and
bursting into tears when Steven
Gerrard placed a hand on his
shoulder.
After the ensuing melee Nani
departed on a stretcher,
replaced by Javier Hernandez,
and Van der Sar was cautioned.
Rafael also benefited from
referee Phil Dowd's leniency after
a high challenge on Lucas Leiva
earned him, and Martin Skrtel for
his retaliation, a booking.
The second half began with
United, not unexpectedly, having
their best spell and for 20
minutes it appeared a goal was
imminent.
Ryan Giggs, breaking Sir Bobby
Charlton's record of 606 league
appearances, met Rooney's cross
with a first-time shot which
whistled just over the crossbar
to serve as a warning that the
game was far from finished.
Meireles had to clear off the line
for the second time in the match
to prevent Berbatov's close-
range header going in while Giggs
curled an 18-yard free-kick over.
More gaps were appearing in the
visitors' defence, though, and
when Kuyt put Meireles clean
through Van der Sar came to the
rescue by palming his angled shot
away.
The Dutchman was at fault in the
65th minute, however, when he
spilled Suarez's free-kick and his
compatriot knocked in the
rebound.
Carroll's long-awaited debut
arrived in the 74th minute when
he replaced Meireles to a
rapturous reception and his first
touch was a goalbound header.
Kuyt's supreme confidence saw
him attempt a 25-yard volley
which screamed wide while
Gerrard twice hit low shots either
side of each post.
Hernandez scored a late headed
consolation from Giggs' cross in
added time but it hardly raised a
cheer among the visiting fans.
OTHER SCORES
Final - Wolverhampton Wanderers
3-3 Tottenham Hotspur

Upon all the noise....

the noise is part of the show/sport

Yes, just don't need a book to know this.