Reds celebrate Murphy's winning kick

FT Manchester United 0 Liverpool 1

Danny Murphy’s coolly-taken second-half spot-kick gave Liverpool victory over old rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Murphy kept his nerve after Steven Gerrard had been sent flying by Gary Neville and beat Tim Howard to cement the Reds in the coveted fourth Champions League spot.

In the absence of injured front-man Ruud van Nistelrooy, United were largely toothless in attack and did not come close to scoring until a frenzied period in the latter stages during which time Ryan Giggs blasted against a post.

Murphy levelled up the caution count with a woefully late lunge on Ronaldo, who set up United’s next chance, which Solskjaer drilled across Dudek’s goal.

With 11 minutes remaining, the hosts came even closer when Saha skipped past Riise and curled a cross to Giggs, who blasted a first-time shot against the post with Dudek beaten.

Seconds later, Solskjaer was an inch away from meeting Ronaldo’s cut-back with a diving header, then Saha found space inside the Liverpool area but could only nod a Giggs cross wide.

Saha failed again in the dying stages and when Ryan Giggs could only drive a stoppage-time free-kick into the visitors wall, Liverpool knew they had ended a three-match losing streak at the hands of their old rivals.