United dominate Liverpool clash

HT Manchester United 1 Liverpool 0

Javier Mascherano was sent off for two bookable first-half offences as Manchester United dominated this north-west crunch clash.

Wes Brown had headed United into the lead after 34 minutes, his first goal of the season, before Liverpool’s frustrations erupted.

Unhappy with several decisions, Fernando Torres was booked for dissent and Mascherano continued the argument to be shown yellow, and then red.

Another ball pumped over Jamie Carragher’s head for the fleet-footed Rooney forced Reina to rush out of his box to chest the ball down before belting it into touch.

Liverpool were playing this like a European game, deep defence, as if they were practising for what may follow later this season in the Champions League.

United, though, were proving to be nowhere near as pedestrian as Inter Milan were.

The Liverpool tactic was conceding the ball to United in dangerous positions, and from one set-piece the ball again cleared Liverpool’s back-line for Ronaldo to see a shot hit the foot of a post.

Gerrard, who had looked strangely subdued, finally burst into action after 27 minutes, taking a knock-down from Dirk Kuyt and seeing a right-footer deflected inches over.

But United were soon back on the attack, and after 33 minutes Reina only stopped a Giggs effort, and was forced to claw it back from under the bar.

But Liverpool were not to survive much longer. Scholes swept the ball out to Rooney on the left after 34 minutes, and when his curling cross arrived in the box, the unlikely figure of Wes Brown was there to reach it before Reina head into the net.

It was Brown’s first of the season and only the third of his career, and it gave United a deserved lead.

Ryan Babel wasted a good opportunity after skinning Brown, and then Alvaro Arbeloa lifted a 12-yarder aimlessly over the top.

Anderson was everywhere, a consistent destructive force right through Liverpool’s midfield.

Liverpool’s frustrations then saw them implode. Torres was booked for dissent, and Mascherano joined in. Referee Bennett, having already booked the Argentinian, produced another yellow and then red.

Mascherano was furious, as was Rafael Benitez. The player had to be hauled away from the pitch, such was his fury.