Kuyt treble sends message to rivals in race for title 19

ONE thing became apparent at Anfield yesterday.

If nothing else, Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish sent out a powerful message that if Manchester United are to surpass them in terms of domestic league titles won, then Alex Ferguson’s side are going to have to work like never before.

Locked with Liverpool on 18 titles apiece, United found their path towards a record 19th success blocked by a determined Dutchman on Merseyside.

It was fitting that Dirk Kuyt became the first player in a Liverpool shirt to score a hat-trick against United since Peter Beardsley 21 years ago. Few have sweated more for the cause than the former Feyenoord forward.

But while Kuyt will deservedly get the plaudits for his heroics in front of goal, Liverpool’s fifth and most impressive Premier League victory since Dalglish’s return was very much a team effort.

From Glen Johnson, who switched from right-back to left-back after Fabio Aurelio was withdrawn before half-time due to injury, to Maxi Rodriguez, who ran himself into the ground.

Luis Suarez was exceptional as he showed that the £22.8 million Liverpool invested in his services is money well spent. He was involved in all three goals while Lucas and Steven Gerrard worked tirelessly in midfield.

Such was Liverpool’s dominance that there was even an appearance in the latter stages for striker Andy Carroll.

“Dirk got three goals, he’ll get the headlines,” said Dalglish afterwards. “Luis played fantastically well but the rest of them weren’t too far behind as well. Everyone was really tuned in to what they wanted to do and they did it.”

We don’t know what Alex Ferguson thought of his team’s performance because he left Anfield after refusing to do any media interviews.

So we can only guess that the United manager was unhappy that his team failed to put up a better performance against their bitter rivals. Wayne Rooney hardly troubled Pepe Reina while the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes failed to make their wealth of experience come to tell on the proceedings.

United have now lost twice in succession and it’s easy to suggest that their charge for the title is on the decline.

But it is worth remembering that the last time they lost back-to-back league games, in March 2009, Ferguson’s team roared back to win the title. Ferguson went into this game leading Dalglish 7-4 ahead of the 20th league meeting between the two Scots.

Ferguson also won the tactical battle between the pair when United defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the FA Cup two months ago in what was Dalglish’s first match back since returning to Anfield.

But revenge was in the air on Merseyside as Kuyt’s first-half double put the hosts in command.

United were missing their first-choice central defensive pairing of Nemanja Vidic, who was suspended, and Rio Ferdinand, who was injured, forcing Ferguson to field Wes Brown alongside Chris Smalling.

And the inexperienced partnership was immediately tested as Suarez, twice, and Rodriguez both had efforts before Dimitar Berbatov was denied by the post in what was United’s first serious attack in the 16th minute.

The injury to Aurelio forced Dalglish to reshuffle his defence midway through the first half, Sotirios Kyrgiakos coming off the substitutes’ bench to partner Martin Skrtel with Jamie Carragher switching to right-back and Johnson to the left-back slot.

But instead of hampering them, the enforced switch seemed to inspire Liverpool.

Up until that moment the game had been fairly even but the hosts took control in an explosive finish to the half.

Kuyt’s breakthrough goal arrived in the 34th minute and was down to the individual brilliance of Suarez, the Uruguay forward leaving Rafael da Silva and Michael Carrick chasing shadows before squaring for his team-mate to score.

His sixth top-flight goal this season followed five minutes later courtesy of an error by the normally reliable Nani, the Portuguese winger making a hash of a clearance by heading into the path of Kuyt to nod past Edwin van der Sar and double his side’s lead.

Yet what had been a compelling first half took an ugly turn as both sides were fortunate to finish it with 11 men.

Carragher was extremely fortunate to escape with a caution for his filthy 39th-minute challenge on Nani, the United player climbing off the floor to remonstrate with the referee before being carried off on a stretcher after collapsing.

Then Rafael, who was booked, was lucky to stay on after his X-rated challenge on Lucas in the 44th minute.

United desperately needed a goal early in the second half and they nearly got one, Berbatov’s 58th-minute header heading for the net only to be chested off the line by Raul Meireles.

Liverpool survived and seven minutes later confirmed victory when Suarez’s free-kick was beaten away by goalkeeper Van der Sar into the path of Kuyt to claim his hat-trick.

With Anfield awash in celebration, Carroll made his first appearance in the closing stages since moving from Newcastle.

Yet while Carroll lost the battle of the substitute forwards, as Javier Hernandez scored a consolation for Manchester United in the closing stages, Liverpool won the war against their bitter rivals.