Article: Liverpool 3 Manchester United 1 - Prem (Mar 6 2011)

Once again I'm stuck at work so I thought I'd do a match Day Thread for us all!! I’ve got the game on my iPhone Sky Player! Roll on 13:30!

Liverpool 3 - 1 Man United​

Kuyt 33, 39, 64​

Hernandez 90​

FULL TIME RESULT​

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio (Kyrgiakos 23), Gerrard, Lucas, Kuyt, Meireles (Carroll 73), Maxi, Suarez (Cole 89).
Subs: Gulacsi, Carroll, Cole, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Spearing, Poulsen.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva (O'shea 76) , Smalling, Brown, Evra, Nani (Hernandez 45) , Carrick, Scholes (Fletcher 86) , Giggs, Berbatov, Rooney.
Subs: Kuszczak, Hernandez, Fabio Da Silva, O'Shea, Fletcher, Obertan, Gibson.

Referee: Phil Dowd

 

Got to it before me

This game is going to be exciting with 2 attacking line ups! I expect plenty of goals for us, and I want Carroll to come on before long.

 

I was dreading pressing 'create article' and see someone else had done it!

I'm well excited as well!

 

Looking good so far, Suarez just can't do anything wrong in my eyes.

 

I do like Aurelio but my god that boy is unlucky with injuries!

 

Liverpool inflict GBH on Man United,they are going to have to donate whats left to science.However there is **** all left.Wayne Rooney still hasn't escaped from Jamie Carraghers pocket.

 

Brilliant performance from everyone in red. I love Suarez, he's ****ing brilliant. Dirk is much better in a front 2, fantastic today.

 

James8.
Kuyt has been one of my favourite players for a number of years,because although he's not the most talented,the lad keeps trying.For effort alone,the lad is a class act.He's also a model professional.All his managers know more than the media.There hasn't been a manager that has said a bad word about him.His Holland boss adores him.He's got that energy that possibly only Kevin Keegan had in a Liverpool shirt.Well in forwards.Emlyn Hughes had the same level of energy,but he was a defender.

 

I never understood why Rafa stuck Kuyt on the wing so much. He's always better in a front two, and was fantastic there in the 2006 WC. He'd have been a much better partner for Torres than any of the other players you tried (ahem, Robbie Keane). But even now, you've signed two expensive strikers so is Kuyt just gonna be shunted back out to the wings?

 

I don't think he will Swarbs, It's good to have a pot of strikers with different qualities such as Kuyt, Suarez, Carroll and N'gog means we can adapt our game when needed.

I think we'll be signing two wingers in the summer so no need for Kuyt to revert back there unless an injury to someone requires him to.

 

I quite liked Dowd during the heated moments of the game. Just let the players sort it out, and if anyone goes too far, he's stood watching it and will know what happened. If he's in the middle trying to break it up, he'd miss a lot of what was happening.

I think the next step should be ice hockey style just step back and let two of them fight it out. I think Soto would have been happy for that to happen yesterday, he looked like he wanted to go all '300' on them.

 

Rafael thought about picking a fight with Martin Skrtel.Skrtel growled at him and he **** himself before running away.

 

Skrtel & Kyri VS The Silva Twins....

Hmmmm....

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Dynamic duo Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez turned on the style to humiliate Manchester United at Anfield, and Alex Ferguson was kind enough to spare us having to listen to their usual bitching and moaning by refusing to allow anyone from United to talk to the press. Might just be the best birthday weekend Kenny has ever had!

This was pretty comprehensive, as we outplayed United in every department. In fairness, their big name absentees certainly made our job easier. They were missing the likes of Ferdinand, Vidic and Webb, and the replacements simply weren't up to the task. Smalling and Brown were run ragged by Kuyt and Suarez, and clearly Phil Dowd didn't understand what his role was supposed to be.

That would certainly explain United Chief Exec David Gill confronting referee's supremo Mike Riley at half time after Dowd had failed to dismiss Carragher for a bad tackle on Nani (more on that later). At least Dowd gave him a yellow, which is more than Rooney got last week.

And who the **** is David Gill to be getting involved in that kind of **** anyway? Their fans sing "We're Man United, we do what we want" and it's not tongue in cheek, as everyone at that club actually lives by that mantra. Arrogant ****ing ****s. I hope Riley told him to leave the football to the professionals and get back to his spreadsheets, the number crunching dickhead.

So many toys have been flung out of prams this week in the Old Trafford area that the thousands of skanky teenage mums from the local council estates thought it was Christmas as they lined up to collect them. This in turn meant Johnny Evans and Nani thought it was Christmas, although Wayne Rooney was fairly unimpressed about the whole thing and headed down to the Post Office queue instead.

That despot Ferguson actually believes that referee's and the media are out to get them. The rest of the country know different, but the irony of it all is that the way they are carrying on now may well ensure that the media and referee's do decide to give them a big '**** you' and all those favours they've become accustomed to may just run dry.

Unless of course Paddy Crerand is appointed head of the BBC and Steve Bennett replaces Riley as referee's chief and ensures either Webb or Clattenberg are in charge of all United games. And don't rule that out, Mad Alex is probably lobbying for that as I type.

But enough about them, this game was all about us. We bossed it from start to finish and the only disappointment I have is that it wasn't a bigger margin of victory. Not arsed about their late consolation, they were probably worthy of a goal as they went close a few times, especially through the dangerous Berbatov.

I just wish we'd been able to put a couple more in at the other end, as they were ripe for a mauling in that second half. When we got the third I thought we may get five or six at that point, as Suarez was terrorising them.

I ****ing love him, he's brilliant and he's only going to get better as he's still finding his feet here. When he gets more in tune with what everyone else is doing, he's going to be phenomenal. He's just so exciting, whenever the ball is at his feet near the penalty area, there's a buzz goes around the stadium as people wonder what he's going to do. The turn he did last week to create a goal for Johnson was fantastic, but he topped that and then some when he made the first goal in this game.

I don't think we've had anyone since Peter Beardsley who could do that kind of thing in such a confined space. He just bamboozles defenders and even after watching replays it's difficult to work out exactly how he did it. It's a pity that he didn't get the credit for that goal but Dirk did the right thing in putting it over the line. It looked as though Suarez was trying to pick him out anyway, and it was a deflection off a defender that sent the ball towards goal.

Everyone went nuts, the atmosphere had already been electric as you'd expect for a Liverpool-United game, but the roof nearly came off after that goal. We'd been playing well up to that point, overcoming the early loss of Aurelio to yet another injury, but it was United who'd come closest to scoring when Berbatov's superb snapshot from distance hit the outside of the post with Reina beaten.

We'd had opportunities ourselves, usually through the great approach play of Suarez. He was picking the ball up deep and running at the United backline, and they had no answer to him. One early break saw him carry the ball forward and feed Meireles on the right, and when Raul picked him out with a pinpoint ball in he just couldn't take it in his stride and Van Der Saar collected it.

The movement of Suarez, Kuyt, Maxi and Meireles was pulling the United defence all over the place, and another great break from Suarez saw him cleverly poke the ball around Evra before haring off down the right and producing a perfect cross for the onrushing Meireles. It would have been difficult to go for goal himself so he tried to nod it back into the path of Kuyt, but he just couldn't quite get a touch on it. Great football though, and Anfield was buzzing.

Then came the goal. I didn't have a clue what happened from my seat in the Main Stand. I saw a red blur jinking in and out of challenges, and then I saw someone on the line hammer the ball into the net. DJ George proclaimed Suarez as the goalscorer, but the only thing I was sure of is that it wasn't the Uruguayan that scored. He's good, but not even he can pick himself off the floor and get on the end of his own cross before anybody else could reach it.

I quickly discovered via text that it was Dirk who'd been Johnny on the Spot, and soon after he was at it again. Suarez was again the architect, finding space down the right and sending a cross to the far post. Nani got there ahead of Maxi and should have cleared the danger. Instead, the ball spooned off his odd shaped head and landed perfectly for Dirk to nod past Van Der Saar to make it 2-0.

The mancs were reeling, and tempers were getting frayed. It all went off just before half time when Carragher flew in at Nani. It was badly timed and dangerous as he missed the ball completely and his studs clattered into the shin of the United player. I'd have had no complaints had a red card been awarded.

It was worse than the challenges that Cole and Gerrard had been sent off for this season, and the United players were demanding Dowd take stiff action. Especially Van Der Saar, who was acting the twat all day, trying to ref the game himself. He'd gone nuts at the linesman after the opening goal even though there was clearly nothing wrong with it, and here he was miles from his goal again demanding a red card for Carragher.

They knew the only way they were getting back into this game was with some help from the ref, but Nani didn't help himself by leaping to his feet and sprinting to the ref to point at his shin, before then realising if his injury was that bad he wouldn't be able to stand, and promptly flung himself to the floor. It was comical.

I think Dowd was only ever going to give a yellow anyway, but if there was any doubt in his mind then the antics of Nani probably convinced him to give Carra the benefit of it. What happened then was just surreal. Nani began crying. Actually, literally, crying, with real tears! A shocked Rooney took one look at him and laughed, and even remarked to Liverpool players "He's ****in' crying!!!" Sympathy within the football world will be thin on the ground for Nani, a player who dives and feigns injury all the time.

That incident sparked a couple of mad minutes. Players were clearly wound up now, and Rafael was also fortunate to stay on the field when he made a horrific lunge at Lucas. Thankfully Lucas saw it coming and got out of the way, or he'd have had a lot worse than the scratch on his shin that Nani had suffered. Rafael tried to justify his actions by claiming Maxi had done him seconds before. Bollocks, Maxi pulled out of that challenge, there was nothing in it.

Skrtel had a good view of the lunge at Lucas and he went mad, sprinting over to confront Rafael. Other players were in there too, and TV replays showed Suarez waiting until the ref couldn't see before pulling Rafael's hair. Classic Uruguayan move that, sneaky bastard. Lucas was class, pointing at Rafael after the dust had settled and letting him know what he thought of it. The boy is becoming a man I think.

The United full back clearly should have been sent off, it's an obvious red card, but I was actually glad Dowd only produced a yellow. Had he sent off Carragher there is no doubt he'd have done the same for Rafael, but if he'd sent off the United player after allowing Carra to stay on we'd have never heard the end of it. It would have overshadowed our performance and that would have been the talking point rather than Dirk's hat-trick or Suarez's genius. Chelsea got very little credit for beating them the other night, it was all about poor old United having referees against them. Had Rafael got his walking papers, it would have been the same. Although maybe it wouldn't, given that the drunken arl crank has banned everyone at the club from speaking to any press, including their own TV channel.

Overall, I think Dowd actually reffed the game pretty well, even if he didn't do so the way he should have in the modern climate. At least he was consistent in his leniency, and it made for a game that was like the 80's or 90's, which is probably why it was so enjoyable.

Half time definitely came at the right moment for everybody, as it allowed everyone to take a breath and calm down. After the Carragher and Rafael incidents, there was a danger the game could have exploded into something really unsavoury. Thankfully the half time interval nipped it in the bud.

 

United started the second half well and had us penned back for a few minutes, but they were throwing a lot of men forward and leaving gaps that Suarez was looking to exploit. We weathered that early storm though and continued to play our football, and you have to say that defensively we were pretty untroubled for the most part. The only hairy moment was when Meireles had to clear off the line from Berbatov's close range header.

The loss of Nani meant that United had to shunt Rooney out to the left wing, with Giggs on the opposite side. Not a smart move, but not as dumb as leaving Fletcher on the bench at the start. No wonder Ferguson didn't want to face the press, how could he possibly explain away that braindead decision?

Suarez and Kuyt continued to torment the United backline with their clever link up play and great movement, and both were on the receiving end of numerous fouls. Nothing malicious, but it was the only way United could contain them, especially Suarez. Brown was booked for a trip on Kuyt, and the third goal came from the free-kick. Just as he did at Old Trafford earlier in the season, Meireles 'sprung' the wall and Suarez found the gap. Van Der Saar parried, and Kuyt was there to claim his hat-trick.

I've written it numerous times before, but there really is no-one better than Dirk when it comes to latching onto rebounds. If he played in the NBA, he'd be like Dennis Rodman, you'd never be able to keep him off the offensive boards. He's scored so many of his goals from following in other people's shots, he's the master at it.

He fully deserved his hat-trick, not only was he the first line of defence closing down their centre halves when they had the ball, but he was really good when he had the ball too. He's struck up an immediate rapport with Suarez, and you have to say that Kuyt is a completely different player up front in a 442 than he is when he plays out wide. He's also much better in the games against the better sides, something you can also say about Lucas who was once again outstanding.

With the game safe, Kenny took the opportunity to give Andy Carroll his debut. The big lad came on to a huge cheer, and his first touch was to meet a free-kick and send a header goalwards from the edge of the box. Again, huge cheers from the crowd. He looked rusty and was certainly not going to risk injury by over extending himself. It was the perfect situation to ease him into things, with the only downside being we'd taken our foot off the pedal a little so he didn't get much service.

From one left wing cross he nodded the ball back to Kuyt on the edge of the box, but he couldn't keep his volley down. Gerrard and Meireles will have taken note of that, and you can certainly see both of them latching onto those knock downs in the coming seasons.

Gerrard twice went close from distance late on, but generally this was a very disciplined performance by the skipper and he left most of the attacking to Meireles and Maxi. Liverpool dominated the midfield area, as Gerrard and Lucas completely ran the show. A far cry from last week at West Ham that's for sure.

That's the frustrating thing about us. We've taken ten points from five games against Chelsea, United and Arsenal this season. And we've taken six from six against Wolves, Blackpool and West Ham. Ridiculous.

All that was left was for the Kop to sing Happy Birthday to our delighted King, and not even Hernandez's stoppage time consolation could dampen our spirits. It was annoying to let one in, but also amusing to hear the half arsed cheers from the away end when it went in. I also enjoyed the "You're Man United, you'll do what you're told" ditty from the Kop. The perfect reposte to that 'we'll do what we want' chant. Apparently the mancs were giving Joe Cole grief afterwards, and he responded with the 'Five Times' salute. Good lad.

Overall, it's difficult to see how it could have gone any better. We played really well, we won very comfortably and we finally saw Andy Carroll in the red shirt. Dirk went home with the match ball, but the name on everybody's lips was Luis Suarez. It's early days, but he looks a great player and he's got a terrific work ethic too. As well as being a flair player, the lad is a grafter.

He was probably the star man, but I can't not give it to Kuyt under the circumstances. He takes a lot of stick, much of it justified, but someone who puts as much effort into his game as he does deserves his moments like these. Everybody played their part, but the two strikers were the reason we won this one so convincingly.

I wasn't surprised by it, in fact I even predicted 3-1 in the footy tipster challenge on the site. When we have a week to prepare for a game, we're generally fine. When we're coming off a European game, or an international week, we tend to have problems. I was very confident we'd win this, but I won't be as confident we'll go and win at Sunderland next week. That's the challenge facing Kenny, but I don't think we'll get that consistency of results until we bring in some better players in certain positions.

Not going to worry about that now though, I'm just going to enjoy this performance and look forward to the Youth Team doing a similar job on them next weekend!

 

James.
Firstly.Great article.
Secondly I think the Salfords were left with egg on their faces when they sang the ''Diego song''.We've got a comeback to that now in this little ditty.
Luis woooah.
Luis woooah.
He's from Uruguay
He made the Salfords cry.
Finally I reckon Raheem Sterling will take their youth team apart on his own.