“Rafa’s cracking up,” is bellowed by the delighted denizens of the away end. Still, the niggling thought remains: if only they’d kept their gamefaces on during January and February…
That’s the biggest away win at Old Trafford since QPR’s Dennis Bailey scored three on New Year’s Day 1992… we all know how that season ended, but today started so promisingly for the boys from Salford. United took the lead after 20 minutes, Pepe Riena pummeling the lad Park in the box, neutral’s favourite Cristiano Ronaldo expertly converting from the spot. Liverpool drew level from Nemanja Vidic howler, the defender failing to cut out a speculative long punt that allowed Fernando Torres to make no mistake sticking the ball past Van der Sar. Just before the break, the comeback was complete, Torres slipping a ball inside Evra for Stevie G, the Frenchman fouling the Liverpool captain and conceding the penalty in the corner.
United pressed for an equaliser after the break but on 76 minutes Vidic was red-carded for hauling down Steven Gerrard when clean through, from the resulting free-kick Fabio Aurelio launched a stunning left-footed curler into the top corner. Too add insult to injury, Ferdinand misjudged a long upfield hoof, Vidic-style and was badly outpaced by Dossena who lobbed Van der Sar.
Too little too late for Liverpool but bragging rights well and truly claimed… Do the words ‘false’ and ‘dawn’ mean anything to Liverpool fans?
First half:
1-3
1-4
