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  • Torres (65), N'Gog (90)
  • Date:2009-10-25
  • Kick-off:14:00
  • Venue:Anfield
  • Attendance:44188
  • Referee:Marriner, A

Live Commentary

90mins

FULL TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-0 MANCHESTER UNITED. What a massive win for Liverpool! Ngog's late strike was the icing on the cake and on the balance of play they deserved the win today.

90mins

LIVERPOOL 2-0 MAN UTD. With everybody forward for Man United, Lucas plays the ball through and Ngog is free to slot past Van Der Sar and finish the game.

90mins

Javier Mascherano is the second man to go off the field early as he flies through Edwin Van Der Sar for no reason.

90mins

Constant free-kicks being given at the moment as Liverpool take advantage of every opportunity to halt play.

90mins

Yossi Benayoun goes off now to be replaced by Martin Skrtel after Rooney's header flies over.

90mins

There will be five minutes of added time at Anfield.

89mins

Nemanja Vidic misjudges a looped ball from Insua and grabs a handful of Kuyt''s shirt who goes striaght down to get his second yellow card.

87mins

Sir Alex Ferguson is furious and perhaps rightly so as it appears Carragher has been given the benefit of any doubt there.

87mins

United are furious again as Rooney feeds Owen in behind Carragher who hauls him down but, despite being last man, only receives a yellow card.

86mins

The ball is at the right end of the pitch as far as Rafa Benitez and Liverpool are concerned as Benayoun wins a throw in.

84mins

Wonderfully worked from Manchester United and Owen feeds Valencia at the corner of the six yard box and his effort come cannoning back off the face of the bar.

81mins

Fernando Torres' afternoon's work is done now as he is replaced by David Ngog - could it be the winner?

80mins

Superb from Agger because Owen looked to have him where he wanted him but the Danish defender stretched out a leg to take the ball away.

79mins

The visitors are enjoying the possession monopoly now but with Torres still looking dangerous Liverpool will not be afraid to break.

77mins

Chance for Nani as Valencia's cross runs all the way through to the far post but Reina is well positioned to stop his shot.

76mins

Less that 15 minutes to go at Anfield. What have Man Utd got in them? Will Owen write the headlines for the morning papers? Or can Rafa's Liverpool hold out?

75mins

Nemanja Vidic, who was sent off both times these two met last season, is now booked for a foul on Torres - very harsh that one.

74mins

Here come the boos! Michael Owen and Nani are sent on in place of Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Scholes.

72mins

Javier Mascherano picks up a yellow card for a trip on a marauding Patrice Evra.

70mins

Liverpool are going for the second to kill this game off with a certain Michael Owen now prowling the tocuhline, surely he will be on soon.

67mins

This place has been transformed in one swing of Torres' right boot into a cauldron of noise - what have United got in them?

65mins

LIVERPOOL 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED. Torres holds off Ferdinand to latch onto Benayoun's pass and smash beyond Van Der Sar to send Anfield into raptures.

63mins

Rooney is furious! After bookings for Evra and Berbatov he rolls Carragher on the half way line only to be tripped by the Liverpool captain who escapes further punishment.

62mins

Almost from Ryan Giggs this time as he piles in towards Rooney's cross but its Benayoun in the way of his poked volley.

60mins

United have started to edge their way back into this second half after being under the cosh for a while and now it is Liverpool's turn to take the heat as Johnson blocks Carrick's header.

57mins

Brilliant defending in the Liverpool six-yard box from...Fernando Torres as he leaps backwards to produce the meerest of flicks to take the ball off the head of Dimitar Berbatov who would surely have scored.

56mins

Lucas is getting closer and closer surely to a booking as he commits yet another offence with a foul on Rooney.

54mins

Liverpool have definitely been the better side since the break showing good fight in the midfield battle but Van Der Sar is yet to be tested.

51mins

Wasted chance! Dirk Kuyt is slipped in towards the corner of the six yard box but he rejects the chance to shoot and instead trie sthe cut back but Vidic is there to mop up.

50mins

United are unable to clear on a number of occasions and Liverpool maintain the pressure but Nemanja Vidic wins three successive headers to get his side out of danger.

47mins

An early mistake from Agger almost allows Rooney to slip Giggs in but Carragher reacts well to intercept.

46mins

The second period is underway, and in case you were wondering, there were beach balls on the pitch at half-time.

45mins

Half Time: LIVERPOOL 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED. All square at the break after a lively first half with Van Der Sar and Reina both being kept pretty busy.

43mins

Berbatov collects a booking for kicking the ball away after giving away a free-kick.

39mins

Big tackle! Jamie Carragher has saved his side there with a superb last ditch tackle on Berbatov and Reina mops up the danger, the Bulgarian thought he was in there.

37mins

Yossi Benayoun stands an excellent cross up to the back post just over the head of Ferdinand and Aurelio comes onto it and heads it down towards goal but Van der Sar makes a good save down to his right.

35mins

Paul Scholes sends a superb ball into the right channel for Valencia to run onto and he pulls it back to Carrick on the edge of the box but his touch lets the ball run away from him and Carragher makes an excellent saving challenge to nick the ball.

31mins

Lucas recieves a talking to after he trips Carrick during a prolongued period of passing from the visitors. Andre Marriner opts to keep his cards in his pocket on this occassion.

29mins

The tempo of the game has slowed noticeably in the last few minutes as both sides struggle to keep hold of possession in the other team's half. The play has become a little scrappy but the tackling has been good.

25mins

Liverpool's attack breaks down and it forces Mascherano into a long range effort but the Argentine slices across the ball and sends it high into the stands.

21mins

Manchester United put together a wonderful move as Rooney and Berbatov link up before Rooney played Valencia into space on the right. The Ecuadorian centred and found Rooney but his header wasn't powerful enough to beat Reina.

19mins

Lucas pounces on Scholes on the half-way line and takes possession and puts Kuyt through on goal but he drags the shot wide of the mark as the ball got stuck under his feet. A good chance missed for the home side.

16mins

Aurelio delivers the free-kick and bends it towards the top corner but Van der Sar makes a fantastic sprawling save to deny the winger. Kuyt shoots from the rebound but the Dutchman is there to make a second stop at the front post. Great keeping!

15mins

Evra is cautioned for a trip on Torres in a dangerous position.

12mins

Evra feels hard done by after he is penalised for a blatent dive from Torres. Aurelio delivers the free-kick from the right but Carrick clears at the near post.

11mins

Insua gets forward and crosses from the left and finds Torres at the back post but Vidic manages to stand him up and block the shot before Evra mops up the danger.

10mins

A bright start to this game with both sides looking to get forward. Evra in particular looks to be overlapping Giggs on the left hand side to provide width for United.

6mins

Lucas and Benayoun link up well in the middle of the park and Lucas strides forward to take the shot on from range but it is deflected behind for a corner. Scholes deals with the danger from the corner.

3mins

United have the ball in the net as Berbatov slides Rooney through before he finds the top corner but the assistant referee had raised his flag and the goal is ruled out. Positive start from the visitors.

0mins

Today's referee is Andre Marriner and with a sharp blast on his whistle, the game is underway!

0mins

Wayne Rooney returns to fitness for Sir Alex's side so Michael Owen Anfield return will begin from the bench. Giggs and Scholes both start in an experienced United midfield alongside Carrick and Valencia. Van der Sar will start between the sticks.

0mins

Rafael Benitez has been under pressure after a poor start to the season that has seen the reds beaten four times already. Today he is without captian Steven Gerrard beacuase of a groin injury but Johnson and Torres both recover to start.

0mins

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney

0mins

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Lucas, Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt, Aurelio, Torres

0mins

Hello and welcome to Anfield, home of Liverpool and today the venue of one of the most fierce rivalries in world football as Manchester United come to town!

Match Preview

Liverpool will be banking on their excellent recent form against Manchester United when they host the Red Devils on Sunday as they attempt to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat.

The Reds hadn't lost four times in a row since 1987 but, after the shock 2-1 home defeat to Lyon on Tuesday, manager Rafael Benitez must now face up to that unwanted record and plan for what could be a win-or-die match.

If the Champions League loss wasn't bad enough, the Spaniard had to watch captain Steven Gerrard limp off after 25 minutes having aggravated an adductor problem.

He joins Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Albert Riera on the list of potential absentees from Sunday's clash, although all four are likely to be given as much time as possible to prove their fitness - particularly Torres.

The 25-year-old hitman has scored eight times this season and, with the Spanish international sitting out the last two games with an abdominal strain, the team have managed just 11 shots on target and a single goal. If he can run and kick, he will play on Sunday.

Defender Jamie Carragher was defiant about Liverpool's chances earlier in the week, with past results backing up his confidence. Last year the Reds achieved their first league double over United since 2001-02, including the impressive 4-1 win at Old Trafford in March.

With that victory in mind, Carragher noted: "It's always a great game against United, and that could be what we need. If we win, it'll give everyone a massive lift.

"We've got a lot of fight and character and will want to show that against United, particularly after what happened against Lyon."

League leaders United will point to difference statistics to back up their cause, such as the ten victories over Liverpool in their last 14 league encounters or the 22 points they've picked up over the past eight Premier League games.

Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Patrice Evra, Darren Fletcher and Park Ji-Sung all missed the midweek Champions League win over CSKA Moscow, although manager Sir Alex Ferguson has insisted that Rooney, Giggs and Evra will be back to face Liverpool.


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Match Report

Fernando Torres climbed off the treatment table to ease the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez as Liverpool saw off champions Manchester United in a feisty encounter at Anfield.

The 25-year-old has sat out Liverpool's last three games - all of which have ended in defeat - with a groin problem but marked his return to full fitness in style by lashing home in the 65th minute.

Antonio Valencia hit the bar in response as United threw men forward before Nemanja Vidic and Argentinian midfielder Javier Mascherano were given their marching orders late on for second bookable offences.

Substitute David N'Gog sealed all three points deep into injury time to end a run of 11 games without a defeat for Sir Alex Ferguson's troops and four without a win for Benitez.

Liverpool were able to call on Torres but not Steven Gerrard, who failed to recover from the groin injury he aggravated during Tuesday's Champions League defeat to Lyon.

Despite that United had keeper Edwin van der Sar to thank for keeping the scoreline goalless early on after he first saved Fabio Aurelio's curling free-kick then denied Dirk Kuyt from the rebound.

Dutchman Kuyt had another glorious chance less than ten minutes later combining with Lucas Leiva only to scuff his shot well wide of van der Sar's right post.

Manchester United slowly began imposing themselves on the game but only had a tame Wayne Rooney - like Torres returning from injury - header to show for it.

Liverpool were once again on top after the break but couldn't find the back of the net - their woes in front of goal typified by yet another Kuyt miss.

However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute when Yossi Benayoun fed Torres, who held off Rio Ferdinand with ease before firing home from deep inside United's box.

Tempers flared late on when Vidic saw red for the third straight match against Liverpool after holding back Kuyt and Mascherano followed suit for a lunge on van der Sar all before N'Gog's strike.

Liverpool

Manchester United

Corners

51

Fouls

2011

Goal attempts

117

Shots off target

51

Offsides

13

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