Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 3 Manchester United 1: Dirk Kuyt hat-trick dents United's title bid
[LNB] After managing to turn an entirecontinent against him in South Africa last summer, Luis Suarez knows athing or two about acrimony. [LNB]But the Uruguay striker, whosegoal-line handball against Ghana at the World Cup so enraged Africa,must have been struck by the volatile nature of a Barclays PremierLeague game that proved why Sir Alex Ferguson still considers Liverpoolto be the ultimate grudge match for Manchester United. [LNB]A match that was all the more significant because of the sense that United's season might have suddenly started to unravel. [LNB] Three and easy: Dirk Kuyt celebrates after completing his hat-trick[LNB]A sense heightened by the failure to take advantage of Arsenal's draw with Sunderland the previous day. [LNB]This was explosive stuff. [LNB]Ignited by a challenge on Nani that should have resulted in a red card for Jamie Carragher, trouble escalated. [LNB]On the pitch, where players clashedand at least one more red card could have been awarded, and up in thedirectors' box, where David Gill, the United chief executive and amember of the FA board, had a few choice words for referees' chief MikeRiley.[LNB] In fairness to Gill, he had a point after what had also happened to Ferguson's side at Stamford Bridge in the week. [LNB]Had Carragher been dismissed for atackle that resulted in Nani leaving the field on a stretcher, RafaelDa Silva might well have resisted the temptation to pursue his ownspecial blend of retribution with a lunge at Lucas. [LNB] Double trouble for United: Kuyt puts Liverpool 2-0 up[LNB]It sparked something of a brawl, Phil Dowd awarding four yellow cards in the final minutes of a dramatic first half.[LNB] But Gill also needs to accept muchthe better team won, just as he needs to remember that Kenny Dalglish'sside were two goals ahead when Carragher struck.[LNB] Even if, in Graeme Souness'sopinion, Carragher put Liverpool's advantage 'at risk' when he plantedsome studs on Nani's standing leg. [LNB]Amid the chaos, Liverpool playedsome wonderful football and - while Dirk Kuyt was able to reflect onhis first hat-trick for Liverpool - nobody was more impressive thanSuarez.[LNB] In creating Kuyt's first in the33rd minute he did something very special, beating Rafael, MichaelCarrick and Wes Brown before guiding the ball through the legs of Edwinvan der Sar and inviting Kuyt to open the scoring from about six inchesout. [LNB]Andy Carroll, on in the 74th minuteto make his debut, is seen as the long-term partner for Suarez but theway the Uruguayan combined with Kuyt and Raul Meireles was a joy towatch. [LNB]Not for the first time, Liverpoollook like they did the better business in selling Fernando Torres to Chelsea and bringing in Carroll and Suarez. [LNB] Perfect start: Dirk Kuyt scores his first goal at Anfield[LNB]Dalglish was enjoying himself,celebrating wildly in response to every Kuyt goal and saluting the Kopwhen they sang 'happy birthday' to him. [LNB]'Dalglish, Dalglish,' they chanted, leaving Liverpool's owners in little doubt they would like him to remain their manager. [LNB]For Ferguson, there was rather less cause for optimism.[LNB] His side stay at the summit of thePremier League but a second defeat in a week amounts to the firstwobble of a relatively trouble-free season. [LNB]Presumably, and we have to presumebecause nobody from Old Trafford would speak to the media afterwards,Ferguson will deflect all attention on to the officials, and Dowd'sfailure to award a red card to Carragher might just strengthen hisdisciplinary case with the FA. [LNB]But there were other concerns here, not least the form of his midfielders and another ordinary display from Wayne Rooney. [LNB]This game was lost in midfield,where Liverpool were able to dominate with Steven Gerrard - just backfrom injury - only operating at around 60 per cent. [LNB]Carrick was awful, Paul Scholes wasnot much better and before Nani's painful exit his only contribution ofnote was the header that enabled Kuyt to double Liverpool's advantage. [LNB] Flashpoint: Nani and Gerrard clashed at Anfield[LNB] [LNB]The challenge facing Ferguson is how he revives his team. [LNB]They have Arsenal next in the FA Cup and then Bolton at home in the league. [LNB]But the first back-to-back leaguedefeats in two years have exposed the fragility of a team that wereprobably flattered by that unbeaten run. [LNB]Like their title rivals, they are by no means perfect and their position at the top may just owe more to the genius of their manager than the quality of the players. [LNB] So you're back here, are you: Sir Alex Ferguson greets Kenny Dalglish before the game[LNB]MATCH FACTSLIVERPOOL (4-4-1-1): Reina 6; Johnson 6, Carragher 7, Skrtel 7 , Aurelio 6 (Kyrgiakos 24min, 6); Meireles 7 (Carroll 74, 6), Lucas 7, Gerrard 6, Rodriguez 6; Suarez 9 (Cole 89); Kuyt 9.Subs not used: Gulacsi, Spearing,Poulsen, Ngog. Booked: Carragher,Skrtel. Scorer: Kuyt (3).MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): Van der Sar 5; Rafael 5 (O'Shea 76), Smalling 5, Brown 6, Evra 6; Nani 5 ( Hernandez 45, 6), Scholes 5 (Fletcher 83), Carrick 4; Giggs 6; Rooney 4, Berbatov 5. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Fabio, Gibson, Obertan. Booked: Van der Sar, Rafael, Scholes. Scorer: Hernandez.Man of the match: Luis Suarez.Referee: Phil Dowd 5.Attendance: 44,753.[LNB]Had Darren Fletcher started, it might have been less one-sided. [LNB]The absence of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand also made them more vulnerable. [LNB]Had Ferguson spoken, he might have pointed to the chances his side had. [LNB]Dimitar Berbatov saw an early half-volley clip the outside of a post and a second-half header cleared off the line by Meireles. [LNB]But no sooner had Kuyt scored his first than Nani provided the final ball for his second, his attempt to solve a problem created by a dangerous defensive header from Scholes amounting to something of a disaster. [LNB]His header fell perfectly for Kuyt, who beat Van der Sar from close range. [LNB]Chaos followed.First with Carragher's challenge on Nani, who then collapsed theatrically under a non-existent shove from Gerrard, and then the incident involving Rafael. [LNB]Having been caught by Maxi Rodriguez, he then launched himself at Lucas and all hell broke loose.[LNB] It was Liverpool, however, who maintained their composure, scoring again in the 65th minute when Kuyt seized on Van der Sar's failure to hold a testing free-kick from Suarez.[LNB] Only then did United muster a response, and only in the 90th minute when Javier Hernandez met a Ryan Giggs cross with a glancing header. [LNB]It reduced the deficit but not the sense of anger, disappointment and concern. [LNB] Carragher exclusive: What he really thinks of Fergie, Neville and UnitedShow some respect, Fergie! Liverpool boss Dalglish cranks ups the tensionAll the latest Liverpool news, features and opinionAll the latest Manchester United news, features and opinionAnfield hails new king Luis as ?35m striker Carroll makes a low-key Liverpool debutJamie Redknapp's weekend watch: It is time for retrospective rulings[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Dirk Kuyt, Andy Carroll, Jamie Carragher, Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Nani, Paul Scholes, Maxi Rodriguez, David Gill, Darren Fletcher, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard Places: Liverpool, Ghana, South Africa, Africa
