[lfc-news] Man Utd report - PA

PA Sport, 15 Jan 2005
Liverpool 0 Manchester United 1

Wayne Rooney was Manchester United's hero after an error of judgement by
Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek allowed the visitors to complete a
double over their north-west rivals.

United showed the class and quality required to beat Liverpool both at
home and away for the second time in three seasons, but they were also
grateful for Dudek's mistake.

The defeat has made Liverpool's chances of qualifying for the Champions
League that much tougher, while United's form will mean that Chelsea or
Arsenal dare not slip up ahead of them in the race for the title.

United finished with 10 men after Wes Brown was sent off, and it was
former Everton striker Rooney's first-half goal on his return to
Merseyside which clinched the points.

He was abused, booked and had a mobile phone thrown at him, but Rooney's
hopeful 25-yard strike was decisive.

And nothing Liverpool could throw at United's defence for the remainder
of the game was able to disrupt the outstanding Mikael Silvestre.

Liverpool had Fernando Morientes making his debut, but he could do
nothing to change the course of this match, one Dudek will want to forget.

He was castigated last season for errors which gave United victory in
this match, and this time at Anfield he managed to dive over Rooney's
match winner.

Both Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs failed fitness tests on hamstring
injuries before the game, and it meant Brown was drafted into the centre
of United's defence.

Roy Carroll was recalled in goal ahead of Tim Howard, despite the
Ulsterman's controversial howler against Spurs.

Liverpool were without Steve Finnan, which meant they were forced to
break up the partnership of Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia at the heart
of defence.

Carragher was switched to a right-back role which allowed Rafael Benitez
to give Mauricio Pellegrino his debut in the centre of defence.

But the defensive change unsettled Liverpool from the start, and
Pellegrino's lack of match fitness and pace was constantly evident.

United could sense such unease and set about Liverpool with a fierce,
physical performance which had the hosts continually on the back foot.

Luis Garcia struggled against such high-tempo, physical opponents while
Morientes - who had not played a full match since last season's
Champions League final for Monaco - unsurprisingly found the speed of
the game tough.

United, through Ronaldo, Louis Saha and Darren Fletcher, threatened to
undo Liverpool, while Rooney, heckled every time he touched the ball,
dropped deep on the left and found space to worry Carragher.

Silvestre did well to deflect a Steven Gerrard corner away from
Morientes, the Liverpool captain being serenaded by the United fans with
"You should come to a big club".

Milan Baros made a powerful right wing run which won a corner, sending
Morientes climb to send a header straight at Carroll.

But it was Rooney who broke the deadlock after 21 minutes when he picked
up possession 30 yards out and unleashed a low drive into the bottom
corner, with Dudek embarrassed in front of the Kop.

Rooney, who had been happy to take part in the banter with his fellow
Scousers, ran to celebrate in front of the Kop.

United almost scored again after 31 minutes when Gerrard lost possession
in his own box and the ball was switched back to Roy Keane, who
thundered a drive against the underside of the bar from 20 yards.

Liverpool were struggling, and Ronaldo saw a low drive from outside the
box glide past Dudek's left-hand post.

Brown and Carragher were both booked, but United were stronger in the
tackle and when they had possession, with Keane dictating the play from
deep for much of the first period.

Luis Garcia fired over early in the second half, and there were strong
appeals for a penalty when Heinze tackled Morientes in the area, but
referee Bennett waved play on.

Brown had been in outstanding form, but one wild lunge at Riise
threatened to change the course of the game.

Referee Bennett, having already shown one yellow card to the United man,
produced another and then the red and United were down to 10 men.

Ferguson sent on John O'Shea a minute later to shore up the defence and
sacrificed Ronaldo.

But chances were few for the home side.

Two minutes from time Nunez crossed from the right, but Luis Garcia -
coming in from the left - could not get a clean connection and scuffed
his effort into the side-netting.

Carragher then saw a 20-yard effort blocked by Carroll, after Gerrard
had declined the invitation to shoot from a free-kick, instead playing
the ball square for his team-mate.

That was as close at the dispirited home side came to a leveller as
United celebrated another Anfield victory.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Pellegrino, Hyypia, Traore, Luis Garcia,
Gerrard, Hamann (Biscan 79), Riise (Sinama Pongolle 72), Baros,
Morientes (Nunez 75)
Subs not used: Harrison, Warnock
Booked: Carragher, Nunez

Man United: Carroll, Neville, Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Fletcher, Keane,
Scholes, Ronaldo (O'Shea 67), Rooney (Bellion 90), Saha (Fortune 79)
Subs not used: Howard, Miller
Booked: Brown, Keane, Rooney, Fortune
Sent off: Brown
Goals: Rooney 21

Att: 44,183
Referee: S Bennett


REDS PAY PRICE FOR DUDEK BLUNDER

Rafael Benitez tried to protect Jerzy Dudek but it must be almost
impossible task given the Poland goalkeeper's continual mistakes in this
high pressure collision of the two most successful club's in English
football history.

At Anfield in the lunchtime showdown, Dudek manage to dive over Wayne
Rooney's first-half grass-cutter for the only goal of the match which
secured Manchester United's second double over Liverpool in three seasons.

It was also their third victory in succession at the home of their
bitter rivals - a new record - and their seventh successive clean sheet,
which equals another club record.

None of that will impress Benitez and an increasingly frustrated Anfield
support who have seen all this before.

Last season Dudek was at fault for Ryan Giggs goals which cost Liverpool
dearly and two seasons ago there was that daft gift for Diego Forlan by
Dudek which saw Liverpool beaten again.

Benitez said: "Perhaps it was a mistake by Dudek but when keepers make
mistakes they are always more important than outfield players' errors.

"I said to him that he played well and that was his only error, sadly it
was costly."

But the Liverpool manager betrayed his deepest thoughts when he said:
"It was a bad result but we were playing well and on top before they scored.

"After that we never controlled midfield and even when they were down to
10 men they had the experience to control things and to achieve what
they wanted."

Sir Alex Ferguson said he had no complaints about Brown's red card but
he praised Silvestre and John O'Shea for their parts in a defiant stand
in the last 25 minutes when Liverpool hurled themselves forward.

He also claimed victory was the best performance by any of the Premier
League's top three teams at Anfield this season.

Leaders Chelsea won 1-0 after being battered in the first half, and
Arsenal lost to an injury-time Neil Mellor winner.

"It was a great performance. It was a fantastic game, tense and
competitive," he told Sky Sports.

"The important thing was to keep our composure, pass the ball well and
take the steam out of Liverpool.

"When we were down to 10 men it was a bit of an onslaught and we had to
survive that - and we did.

"Arsenal have been here; Chelsea have been here - but I would have
thought our performance would have been the best of the three."

Ferguson also defended Rooney after criticism of the teenager's goal
celebration when he appeared to goad fans on The Kop after scoring.

Police are also investigating after a mobile phone was thrown on to the
pitch following the goal.

"That's where he scored the goal. I didn't think he was overdoing it,"
added the United boss.


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