United focus on points not performance
Man Utd 2 Liverpool 1By Ian Whittell - Monday, March 22, 2010
MANCHESTER United maintained their quest for a record 19th league title, their fourth in a row, as goals from Wayne Rooney and Ji-Sung Park earned them victory in an eventful encounter with Liverpool.
It was one full of predictable animosity and ill-disguised ill-feeling and controversial decisions, just the sort of game that has been the stock in trade of this, arguably, the keenest rivalry in English football.
When the dust had settled, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was left to complain about the award of an equalising penalty kick for United, while conceding that his early-season guarantee of a fourth-placed finish may not now look so secure.
For Ferguson, the return of central defenders Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are, he claims, the key reason why United are now favourites to retain their Premier League crown.
"I don’t think anyone’s getting away at the top," said the United manager of rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. "We are all opening doors.
"But I think that with Vidic and Ferdinand looking fresh, they have been out for most of the season, I think those two back to that form gives us a great hope and opportunity.
"It’s at the stage of the season where winning is the name of the game. We have been very consistent in the last two or three months and, for periods of the game we played very well, other periods we had to dig in and concentrate."
The opening 10 minutes of the eagerly-awaited contest were among the most incident-packed, and contentious, of the Premier League season as the animosity between the two old rivals became abundantly apparent.
First blood was drawn by Liverpool with a superbly-worked, ultimately simple, goal that suggested their hopes of a fourth consecutive victory over the defending champions might not be that far-fetched.
Steven Gerrard drove deep into United territory from just inside his own half before feeding the ball to Dirk Kuyt whose run continued to the right-hand by-line before he pulled back a pinpoint cross, which found the head of Fernando Torres, inexplicably unmarked six yards from goal, for a routine finish.
Old Trafford was stunned but it took just five minutes for the home side to respond, the equaliser coming after Emiliano Insua made a weak defensive header which saw the ball fall for Antonio Valenia who immediately set off towards the Liverpool goal, with Javier Mascherano snapping at his heels and bringing him down just as he entered the area.
Referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot and immediately brandished a yellow card at the Liverpool midfielder, with United players surrounding the official and demanding he show red, an apparently compelling argument as he had denied a goalscoring opportunity.
Gary Neville sprinted half the length of the field to voice his opinion and engaged in an angry exchange with Jamie Carragher, one duplicated on the touchline by rival managers Ferguson and Benitez who engaged in a finger pointing spat before the United manager screamed his disapproval at Webb.
Amidst this feuding, Rooney’s poor penalty was well saved by Jose Reina with the rebound falling kindly for the England forward who was alert enough to turn the loose ball into the open net for the equaliser.
Perhaps understandably, the early intensity was not maintained and, thereafter, the first half was one of limited opportunities although United’s wingers Valencia and Nani were causing problems for the opposition full-backs.
Park placed a pair of headers wide of the Liverpool goal and Nani’s strong run ended with a powerful shot from the edge of the box which Reina turned around his post. Just before the interval, Carragher was booked for a foul on Darren Fletcher and Rooney produced a 25-yard free-kick which Reina caught easily, but opportunities were rare.
Park had endured an ineffective first half, playing just behind United’s lone striker Rooney, but the second period began in very different fashion for the South Korean who soon made room for himself on the edge of the area and unleashed a shot which forced Reina into a comfortable enough save.
However, just before the hour, the United goalkeeper had no chance with Park’s next attempt, a clinical, diving header from no more than six yards which put the home side in front. Rooney had started the move with an intelligent pass to Fletcher on the right wing and the Scotsman’s delivery was inch-perfect.
The earlier threat of violence re-surfaced in the 67th minute when Fletcher was tripped by Kuyt and retaliated with a retaliatory kick at the Dutchman which should have brought a yellow, or even red, card but which saw both players merely lectured by Webb.
Rooney chipped over and Benitez introduced Alberto Aquilani and Ryan Babel as Liverpool tried desperately to find some attacking impetus but Torres wasted their best hope of an equaliser in the final minute when he completely miscued from eight yards and Yossi Benayoun headed meekly at van der Sar.
MATCH RATING: **** – About as meaningful and incident-packed as it can get at this time of year at the top of the Premier League.
REFEREE: Howard Webb (South Yorks) 5 – Probably got the penalty right but why no red card for Mascherano and how did Fletcher get away with his second half retaliation on Kuyt?