Liverpool vs Man Utd

We are the Champion...

LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED, 0-1 Sat 3 Mar 2007

Manchester United took a giant step towards the Barclays Premiership title with a smash-and-grab victory at Liverpool.
Substitute John O'Shea's injury-time winner was enough to seal all three points for a Red Devils side down to 10 men after the dismissal of Paul Scholes five minutes from time.
The experienced midfielder was given his marching orders for swinging an arm at Xabi Alonso, but Republic of Ireland utility man O'Shea pounced from close range after Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick had caused havoc in the six-yard box to settle the issue in United's favour.
Liverpool, though, had dominated much of the game, with Steven Gerrard the first player to cause problems with a probing long through-ball.
Nemanja Vidic prevented it reaching Craig Bellamy and then, under pressure from Dirk Kuyt, did well to clear the ball against the Holland forward and earn a goal-kick.
A testing Gerrard cross was well caught by Edwin van der Sar with Kuyt and Bellamy lurking, before a trademark fierce left-foot drive from around 30 yards by Dan Agger flashed over the bar.
Ronaldo sent a snap shot wide from United's first attack as he met Patrice Evra's cross at the culmination of a neat passing move down the left flank.
Van der Sar made the first save of the day to keep out Mark Gonzalez's header from Gerrard's cross before Steve Finnan made a timely interception at the other end to prevent Scholes' through-ball reaching Ryan Giggs, who was making his 700th appearance for United.
Kuyt's excellent work on the right flank went to waste when Bellamy's lay-off was too strong for Mohamed Sissoko, but the Dutchman drew the foul from Vidic which led to the hosts' next sight of goal.
Gonzalez touched the resulting 20-yard free-kick to John-Arne Riise, whose curling drive with the outside of his left foot was just inches wide of Van der Sar's right-hand post.
Bellamy beat Vidic with alarming ease and pulled a ball across the face of an open goal which narrowly eluded Kuyt in Liverpool's best chance of the half, and Van der Sar then comfortably dealt with Gonzalez's low left-foot drive.
A surging run into the box by Ronaldo was ended by Carragher's well-timed challenge, and Rooney then narrowly failed to latch onto Giggs' threaded pass.
Sissoko sliced a shot wildly wide as a goalless half drew to a close.
Liverpool started the second period in the same attacking style, though, and Gerrard sliced a shot wide before Bellamy squandered an even better chance.
Kuyt's through-ball played the Wales frontman in between the United centre-halves, but a poor first touch and a weak shot allowed Van der Sar to make a good diving save.
Bellamy had the ball in the net moments later but the effort was chalked off, with the striker standing in an offside position when Sissoko diverted Riise's mishit shot to his feet.
A much cleaner strike from the Norway full-back then whistled by the frame of Van der Sar's goal before United weathered the storm and Rooney was flagged offside before finishing with an outrageous back-heel.
The game settled into a scrappy spell, leading to a raft of substitutions as Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez replaced Gonzalez and Bellamy with Fabio Aurelio and Jermaine Pennant.
Opposite number Sir Alex Ferguson introduced Mikael Silvestre and Louis Saha for Evra and Henrik Larsson before Rooney, with blood pouring down his leg after an accidental clash with Carragher, limped off to be replaced by O'Shea.
There was a further scare as Saha went down awkwardly under Agger's challenge on the edge of the box, but a half-hearted penalty appeal was waved away.
Rio Ferdinand cleared well at the other end as Kuyt tried to reach Pennant's teasing cross, and the replacement winger's dangerous run into the box moments later forced the same defender to concede a corner.
Peter Crouch replaced Sissoko before Gary Neville was booked for bringing down the lively Pennant, and United were shortly down to 10 men.
Scholes tangled with Xabi Alonso and flicked out an arm at the Spain midfielder. Despite no contact being made, referee Martin Atkinson decided that the United man's intent warranted a straight red card.
Liverpool threatened to take advantage, with Van der Sar making a superb reaction save to deny Crouch from close range, but there was to be a sting in the tale as United popped up with their stoppage-time winner.
Finnan's foul on Giggs led to a free-kick on the left which Ronaldo fired across dangerously. Saha challenged for the ball with Reina and, as it spun loose in the six-yard box, there was O'Shea to finish calmly and earn his side the three precious points.