"That's why we are champions," roared United's followers in the Anfield Road end after Carlos Tevez had produced a smash-and-grab winner in the first half.
They were alluding to the fact that in that first 45 minutes on this hostile territory they hadn't produced an effort on goal until the Argentinian's 43rd minute breakthrough.
Last March the Reds had suffered a backs-to-the-wall pummelling here before John O'Shea's dramatic injury time winner sent United back along the M62 believing that with nine games to go, they had struck the most significant title race blow and the silverware was being polished at Stamford Bridge in readiness for being transported back up north.
O'Shea's Kop heartbreaker had showed just what true champions are about. Digging in against the odds, and snatching victory is one of the key ingredients anyone worth their salt can dredge up.
There may be a lot longer to go in the 2007-08 race but this could be every bit as damaging to Liverpool's hopes if not Arsenal and Chelsea's just yet.
Challengers
This day could be seen as the pivotal point as to when the anticipated four-strong chase for the title was whittle down to three challengers.
Liverpool did not have the air of a team who have the nous to tackle days like these.
On the other hand the Reds clearly showed once again that they can cope and triumph in any scenario thrown at them.
It wasn't a day when finesse would have the upper hand, it was very much another occasion for an intense raw war.
It was also a day for converting what rare titbits came your way in the opposition area. In that area Liverpool were a very poor second to United.
Benitez's side shaded the clearer opportunities that were too rare to make this a classic Premier League advert.
Anderson had to rescue United with a hack off the line from Harry Kewell's penalty box drive after 25 minutes and Fernando Torres's finishing ability looked over-hyped as he steered the rebound wide with his head from close range.
It was their most potent fleeting moment.
Part of the build-up to this clash had been taken up with the head-to-head comparisons between the Spaniard United couldn't entice to Old Trafford and the South American who was prepared to go to court to move to the Reds.
Tracked
Ferguson had admitted that United had tracked and attempted to lure Torres to Manchester on numerous occasions.
Last summer the Reds had enquired again. Many believed, with good reason, that the former Atletico Madrid hitman's qualities were a necessary different option to add to the champion's firepower. Had he given the nod early, then maybe United wouldn't have had the stomach to pursue the tricky switch of Tevez from West Ham. But Torres chose the tapas environment that is now Anfield to Old Trafford. It left Fergie and the United hierarchy making the concerted and difficult Tevez option their spearhead priority.
This was certainly the day when it became worthwhile.
Torres suffered the taunts from the travelling Reds that he should have signed for a big club while Tevez became one of those overnight Old Trafford legends like Diego Forlan and O'Shea in recent years for scoring an Anfield winner.
Whatever he does in the future he won't forget, or be allowed to forget, his first ever away goal for United.
And with more speculation that Nicolas Anelka is a January target for United the 23-year-old is building up a goal record to fight off the attentions of any newcomer despite their pedigree.
After eight goals in the comfort of Old Trafford this was some place to break your duck and prove you are not a homer!
Brimstone
Amid all the typical fire and brimstone and good honest working your socks off, it was the one moment of real quality from the Reds. It had training ground written all over it as Liverpool bought the decoy runs of Vidic and Ferdinand hook, line and sinker.
As everyone tracked United's big guys, Ryan Giggs pulled his corner kick back to the waiting Wayne Rooney.
He struck a ferocious low drive that Tevez managed to divert into the roof of the net in front of the Kop. It doesn't come much sweeter.
United's backroom staff have been using Old Testament readings to inspire the Reds during their gym work - well they certainly seem to get some divine inspiration when they travel to Liverpool!
Rooney was counting his blessings too that he escaped being hit by a golf ball thrown from the crowd. Police are investigating the incident.
Liverpool had the air of a team who know that United have got their measure even in front of their own screaming hordes and with Vidic and Ferdinand resolute at the heart of the defence and Hargreaves and Anderson, making their debuts in this showdown, there was never any serious passage of time in the rest of the game where United fans would have felt they were not going to win.
Once again the celebratory scenes at the end were of a bunch of players and a support who knew they had made another significant Premiership statement, while the Anfielders still have the look of a side who know that they are still short of shedding their tag as the fourth team in the Big Four.
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rooneys ferocious low drive??? he hardly belted it! im not sure whether it was a shot or a pass to tevez but he certainly didnt hit it like he wanted to score the goal!
yet again we prove why we are champions! i just love beating the dippers
Rio/Vidic is the best centreback pairing in world football, and Evra might be the best left back around. We have great CMs in Anderson (what a signing), Scholes, OH and also Carrick. This gives a very solid foundation. And we all know what Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo can do upfront.
The only areas of improvement I can see is right-back, more competition for our wingers and a strong and pacy striker. But I would still rate our squad as the best in the PL.
Saw the game on Sky. The allegiances of the presenters fascinate me. Ray Wilkins, in spite of being a youth development at Chelsea, keeps his heart at OT. Pretty Boy Rednap is ABU. At half time, he bleated about the Liverpool failure to mark at corners. Insightfully, Andy Gray showed how the corner was planned beforehand, and totally upstaged the dopey Rednap. At fulltime, Rednap thoughtfully reiterated Grays analysis as his own. Beautiful but dumb. Bless.
Saw the game on Sky. The allegiances of the presenters fascinate me. Ray Wilkins, in spite of being a youth development at Chelsea, keeps his heart at OT. Pretty Boy Rednap is ABU. At half time, he bleated about the Liverpool failure to mark at corners. Insightfully, Andy Gray showed how the corner was planned beforehand, and totally upstaged the dopey Rednap. At fulltime, Rednap thoughtfully reiterated Grays analysis as his own. Beautiful but dumb. Bless.
This wasn't pretty; and liverpool had more chances. But you don't just win titles by scoring goals.
Our defence looks as good as any in world football - and full credit to wes who is part of it, despite occasional slips. In the future, we have Gerard, Danny, Jonny, the Eckersleys and Ryan Shawcross to call on.
I would say that with the emergence of Anderson, the arrival of Hargreaves and the impending return of Scholes, we have a squad capable of winning the ECL this season.
As you know from elsewhere, if Louis is fit, I'm not fazed by the 'lack of a striker'. Ronaldo may be the best player in the world and Tevez is starting to look like potentially the sharpest striker in the world, if Anderson and/or Carrick can score more goals we are looking good for the 'next Fergie dynasty'.
Rio was awesome - Fernando who? - and it may not have been pretty but it was a totally effective team performance and that's what will matter next April/May.
Finally, with the Africa Cup approaching, we may have a useful lead by Easter. Cheers.
Ray Wilkins in utd's corner never in any commentry i've ever seen him recently all he talks about is chelsea
Ray Wilkins is a blue. He started his career there. Redknap (the most annoying pundit after Pleat perhaps?) was a Liverpool "player", the original sicknote (ok him and the gangly Spurs winger) so you expect him to be biased towards Liverpool. Ruud has always been a fan of the United style of play so I guess he was in our corner.
just to be a scrooge at this time of year; thought as against the arse united were very much in control. However we didnt kill them off and at 1-0 they were always in with a shout; but a win at anfield is always to be celebrated especiaally as it now effectively means it will be 18 years and counting; clearly the big 3 are along way further down the road as potential champions; which leaves everton and liverpool scrapping for 4th spot!!!
As a former, and perhaps youngest ever, Chelsea skipper, I expected Ray Wilkins to be a Chelsea fan too. But the last two United matches I've seen him cover for Sky, he's referred to the Reds as 'we'. Anyway, my point was that while Rednap was lucky enough to not inherit his father's looks, he didn't get his brains either.
Wilkins has been Chelsea through-and-through for the last few seasons and although he's coming across more United these days, it's only because we are in the ascendancy.
Poor Torres ,he ended up in the wrong team with those looooog balls. Imagine Torres at Arsenal or MU.
Either Anderson speaks very little English or his control is first class especially for a 19 year old. His refusal to get involved with Gerrard was admirable. What a mid field Fergie has put together. I think Nani would have been more effective than Giggs yesterday but you have to start Giggs in a game like that. As Carrick was on the bench, I would have selected Nani over Fletch. We must buy a right back in January.
if you were heading from anfield yesterday and heard a massive bang dont worry it was just there bubble bursting after the mighty reds did them again on there turf,id love to feel the hurt there fans are feeling.
Com on the red army.
Pmsl.
Stufy arsenal will slip .
Manchester United instead of buying ANELKA should get KUN AGUERO,player from atletico de madrid. He plays like ROMARIO, lethal in the area, he is only 19 years old. Barcelona does
not want him because it is already full of stars for his position. Real Madrid is silent because KUN AGUERO made comments that he never will play for them , he has made suggestions that he would like to play for Manchester United. This player is considered to
be 5 times better than TORRES. This would be a good investment for Manchester and probably considered in the eyes of the world as one of the best teams in the world like BARCELONA.
This verdict is an easy one.
The best team won! United are becoming a finely tuned
winning machine. Consider both Anderson and Hargreaves are new to the team they both looked like they had been there years. Great job
by the coaching staff, United
kept the shape and heads when
the going got tough. Not the
prettiest game to watch but it was highly competitive, even at 5:30am here in the outer regions of earth
(as it relates to footy anyway), I know many that got up to watch the game live on Setanta.
Up the Reds (the real ones)
marcio-gabriel, read my analysis in the 'National' section on United's possible striker targets.
although a class act, kun aguero is about the same height as Tevez and Rooney (and Rossi who we sold). In my opinion, if we get another striker he needs to be 6 foot plus.
I prefer to stick with Louis if he stays fit because he has everything and can jump higher than Ruud despite being shorter.
Otherwise I favour Jovetic for a young striker. Cheers.
It never ceases to make me laugh how Captain Hollywood, sorry, ahem, I mean Stevie 'G' or whatever it is the dippers call their 'talismanic' skipper, 'explodes' with a macho tackle, a raking pass ten minutes later, a dodgy longshot twenty minutes after that, all for the benefit of the tv cameras and the home crowd.
This feller is SO overrated it is untrue...imagine how much Robbo would be worth today!?
ps Anderson is so good this early in his career its almost outrageous.
I thought Gerrard squaring up to Anderson was brilliant. I t just proved to me how upset Gerrard was a that a 19 yr old samba kid making his debut in this fixture was showing him how to play football
Has anyone seen that scouse muppet Si 4 Kop recently?
The dippers were desperate. Gerrard stuck the ball three yards from hargreaves and it hit his arm which was by his side the whole of Anfield screamed HANDBALL, and the referee duly obliged. Even with the referee giving dubious decisions, the right result came about as the best team on the field won.
We have Scholes. Park and Neville due back, where as Chel$ki have Terry out until the end of January, then the African Nation's Cup will deplete Chel$ki's and the Gooners squads.
Some great individual performances, Rio, Hargreaves and Anderson, but overall great team performance to grind out the result. This is what CHAMPIONS do best.