Liverpool Look Hot As Manchester United Fade Away

After a week of heavyweight bouts in the Champions League, two of England’s big heavyweights met at Old Trafford. With the Premier League title race beginning to become a forgone conclusion a win for Manchester United would have the title hopes of Liverpool and Chelsea almost out of reach.

During the week Liverpool had met a poor Real Madrid side which they dually rolled over with a sensational 4-0 win on the night and a 5-0 aggregate win in the second league of their Champions :eague match. While Manchester United dumped Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan out of the competition with a 2-0 aggregate win.

With the home of Manchester United buzzing with excitement as their biggest local rivals Liverpool arrived in town, people were wondering if Liverpool could reproduce there sizzling mid week form or whether they would continue to struggle against United—with Liverpool having won only once in there last five league meetings.

With the game under way Manchester United pinned Liverpool back in there own half in the first few moments with Liverpool beginning to gain some momentum but in the 11^thminute Park Ji Sung was brought down by Pepe Reina for a penalty which was tucked away by the Portuguese maestro Cristiano Ronaldo.

The penalty seemed to be a hammer blow for a Liverpool side who had been in the ascendancy after a slow start.

But seven minutes later a ball over the top and a dallying Vidic let Fernando Torres in to slot past Van der Sar for the equalizer. Now Liverpool looked up for the fight and Torres was beginning to show what Liverpool had missed during his injury lay off, with the game going from end to end.

Then with Gerrard latching on to a pass he was then brought down in the area by a mistimed challenge from Patrice Evra for a penalty. Gerrard dusted himself down before putting Liverpool 2-1 up and Liverpool went in on top.

After the break Manchester United came out on fire looking to take the game to Liverpool and trying to open the points gap at the top of the table. But after concerted pressure from United it was Liverpool who struck with a fantastic 25-yard free kick from Fabio Auerlio after Vidic cynically brought down Gerrard and was shown a red card for the offence.

In the final few minutes Liverpool rubbed more salt in the wound when Dossena added his second goal in two games to make it Liverpool 4 Manchester United 1. This result will have hurt United, but what did it tell us about Liverpool?

Liverpool started the season on fire but as the season has pushed on they have struggled to turn draws into wins and with Torres suffering injury have at times looked a bit toothless upfront. But for me when they have Torres and Gerrard fit they have one of the best partnerships in the world. I do feel Liverpool need a little more quality upfront to help cover when Torres is out.

Liverpool are also blessed with Steven Gerrard and with Zindane calling him the best player in the world presently you can’t rule the Anfield magician out as we head towards the end of the season and his influence on the final outcome of this championship race.

This result will have blown the title race wide open for Liverpool and Chelsea but it’s now how Manchester United react in there next league game which will have the most telling answers. With Chelsea themselves more resurgent under Guus Hiddink look a lot more solid and with an on form Drogba banging in the goals you can’t count them out making late surge to capture the title again.

But what ever happens its going to be thrilling to watch.