Liverpool 0, Manchester United 1 (D,Post)

Mar 5 2007 by Ian Doyle at Anfield

As the most consistent team in the Premiership, boasting the most potent attack and watertight defence, and allied to the prerequisite good fortune and a relatively small injury list, United are now well on their way to becoming worthy champions for the first time in four years.

But, save that healthy slice of luck that has helped them negotiate some significant obstacles in recent weeks, hardly any of those title-winning qualities were on show on Saturday as Liverpool, as in the Nou Camp 10 days earlier, proved they can go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Getting beyond them, though, has been the problem for Benitez’s side in the league and something the Anfield manager will seek to address when, bolstered by the backing of the club’s new American owners, he makes his foray into the transfer market this summer.

That said, instead of seeing their proud 30-game unbeaten Premiership home run ended with the concession of a first league goal at Anfield in 934 minutes, Liverpool could easily be going into tomorrow night’s Champions League return against Barcelona having dealt a significant blow to United’s title challenge.

Ironic, then, that while an under-strength Liverpool were unconvincing in thrashing Sheffield United 4-0 the previous week, Benitez’s full complement should put on a finer performance on Saturday that yielded no reward.

As against Chelsea in January, Liverpool’s high-tempo pressing game and Benitez’s clever tactics put their opponents on the back foot for the majority of proceedings. But unlike against Jose Mourinho’s men, the cutting edge was lacking.

It wasn’t for the want of trying, although clear-cut chances were admittedly at a premium. Liverpool’s best opening arrived with only two minutes remaining when substitute Peter Crouch, rather than head for goal, opted to chest down and volley Dirk Kuyt’s cross from the right and drew a brilliant save from Edwin van der Sar.

By then, United had been reduced to 10 men when Paul Scholes finally lost his rag after a running battle with Xabi Alonso and swung a punch that narrowly missed connecting with the Spaniard’s face.

It was symptomatic of the growing frustration among the United ranks as Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher monumental in defence, barely gave their opponents a glimpse of goal, Pepe Reina not called into action until clawing away Cristiano Ronaldo’s awkward header in the closing minutes.

Much earlier, Ronaldo had twice fired off target with two first-half chances but it was Liverpool who dominated as visiting defenders Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra struggled to contain the pace and direct running of Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard, the Anfield skipper operating on the right flank.