Rate it!

289 votes

Fernando Torres and David Ngog struck as Liverpool downed bitter rivals Manchester United 2-0 at Anfield to give their season a much-needed shot in the arm.

Torres broke the deadlock on 65 minutes before Ngog added a gloss to the scoreline deep into injury time as United poured forward in search of a late equaliser.

Both teams finished the match with 10 men after United's Nemanja Vidic was dismissed in the final minute - for a third straight game against the Merseyside club - and Javier Mascherano was sent off for Liverpool in time added on.

Antonio Valencia hit the bar in the 84th minute as United rallied but the hosts held firm to end a run of four straight defeats and register a crucial victory that sees them move into fifth place in the Premier League table.

The result also represented a huge boon for underfire manager Rafa Benitez, who was finally given something to celebrate on his 200th Premier League match in charge.

United stay in second, having lost top spot to Chelsea on Saturday.

Liverpool may have been missing inspirational skipper Steven Gerrard, who was forced to watch on from the stands through injury, but Benitez was boosted by the return of Torres. The Spaniard did not disappoint.

Having had just one sniff of goal during the opening 65 minutes - when he prodded weakly wide just after the break - Torres proved his class when he was played through on goal by a fantastic Yossi Benayoun pass. He held off the challenge of Rio Ferdinand before lashing into the roof of the net, leaving Edwin van der Sar no chance.

As United pressed forward for a late equaliser, they were exposed at the back and Ngog took full advantage in the sixth minute of time added on, the substitute keeping his cool when played clean through on goal to fire home and seal victory.

Pre-match, much had been made of United fans' mischievous plans to bring beach balls into the ground, and kick-off was slightly delayed as a host of inflatables rained down on one penalty area - although not, as expected, thrown by United fans but rather by home supporters on the Kop.

Once the balls had been cleared, did not take long for the game to spark into life and Wayne Rooney had the actual football in the back of the net as early as the third minute, the England striker finishing superbly only to see his effort correctly chalked off for offside.

That move aside, it was Liverpool who enjoyed the better of the opening stages, as Benitez got a positive reaction from his previously beleaguered side.

The hosts went close to taking the lead on 16 minutes when Fabio Aurelio stretched Van der Sar to his limit with a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards out, reminiscent of his goal in the 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford last season. The Dutch keeper then did well to block his compatriot Dirk Kuyt's effort on the follow-up.

Two minutes later Kuyt was played in by Lucas Leiva but before he could get a shot off on target Vidic had recovered to make a crucial challenge.

Otherwise, Vidic looked uneasy facing his chief tormentor of last season Torres, although he and Rio Ferdinand did enough to keep the dangerous Spaniard at bay at least for an hour.

United came back into the game as the first half wore on and Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov linked up well to release Valencia down the United right on 21 minutes. The Ecuadorian winger's cross found Rooney, who had continued his run into the box, but his header was saved by Jose Reina.

At the other end, Benayoun, by far Liverpool's most dangerous player, saw a header saved by Van der Sar before the opening period ended acrimoniously with United players, unhappy at a few decision that had gone against them, surrounding referee Andre Mariner.

The visitors' mood was not improved after the break when Torres swooped to break the deadlock, nor when substitute Michael Owen played in Valencia, only for the Ecuadorian to be denied by the cross bar.

Owen, the former Liverpool player, had been given the chance to prove a point to those in the crowd who booed his 74th minute introduction from the bench, and his running off the ball 13 minutes later gave Jamie Carragher a hairy moment. The Liverpool defender was caught out by his former team-mate and, having hauled the United man down, was lucky to escape with just a booking.

Vidic, who was sent off in both Premier League fixtures against Liverpool last season, was again dismissed when he upended Kuyt and received a second booking.

And Mascherano, another who is no stranger to red cards in this fixture, soon followed the Serb down the tunnel, again for a second bookable offence, this time for a lunge on Van der Sar.

Back on a level playing field in terms of personnel, United threw everything they had upfield as full-time approached only to be caught out by Ngog's late, and decisive, sucker punch.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport