The Red’s crushed their North-West neighbours 4-1 at the Theatre of Dreams to close the gap on the league leaders to just four points. Fernando Torres cancelled out a Ronaldo penalty, before Gerrard gave Liverpool the lead from the spot. Fabio Aurelio curled home a free-kick past Van der Sar in the 76th minute after Vidic was sent-off for a professional, and Dossena rounded-off the scoring as he lobbed the Dutch keeper for the Merseysider’s fourth of the afternoon.

Rafa Benitez made several changes to the Liverpool side that beat Real Madrid midweek for Saturday’s Premier League clash versus Man U at Old Trafford. Lucas Leiva replaced the injured Xabi Alonso in midfield and Albert Reira came in for Ryan Babel out on the left-wing.

The Anfield boss was also forced to make a late change with Sami Hyypia taking the place of Alvaro Arbeloa in the Red defence. Arbeloa injured himself in the warm up forcing Jamie Carragher to move out to right back and Hyypia moving in to the centre of Liverpool’s back four.

Alex Ferguson also made three changes to the side that beat Inter Milan with Ji-Sung Park, Anderson, and Carlos Tevez coming in to the side in place of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Dimitar Berbatov.

Liverpool were penned back by United in the early stages but the home side failed to find a way through the Red back-line. In Man U’s best chance of the opening twenty minutes, Ji Sung Park had an effort from the edge of the box deflected over by Jamie Carragher who flung himself at the ball.

Torres at the other end was facing a real battle with Man U’s towering centre-back pairing of Vidic and Ferdinand. The Spaniard forced a couple of dangerous fouls near the penalty area, but Liverpool failed to test Van der Sar from the resulting set-pieces.

It was the home side that took the lead as the referee awarded Alex Ferguson’s team a penalty as Park fell to ground under Reina’s challenge. The Spanish shotstopper guessed right, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty flew into the bottom right hand corner to put Man U in front.

The Liverpool number ‘9’ was winning the battle against Vidic, and the Spaniard was to be the catalyst for the Red’s first-half revival.

With 28 minutes gone on the clock, Fernando Torres drew Liverpool level. The goal was very similar to his strike for Spain versus Germany in the European Championship final. The forward caught Vidic dwelling on possession before bursting through and slotting the ball past the keeper.

Torres then turned from scorer into provider. His perfectly weighted pass found Gerrard in the United box. The skipper was caught by Patrice Evra who timed his challenge wrong, and Gerrard dusted himself down to slot the spot-kick past Van der Sar to give Liverpool lead.

The opening twenty minutes of the second-half was one-way traffic as Manchester United piled forward. Liverpool withstood the Red Devil’s early siege as the home team ran out of ideas.

Alex Ferguson made a triple substitution in the 73rd minute with Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes taking the place of Anderson, Carrick and Park, but it was Liverpool who were to score again.

ManU were reduced to ten-men as Vidic hauled down Gerrard on the edge of the box. There was very little the home team could complain about the referee’s decision as the tall defender was the last man back.

The free-kick was in a dangerous position as Steve Gerrard and Fabio Aurelio stood behind the ball. It was the Brazilian however who stepped-up to curl the ball past Van der Saar.

Rafa Benitez brought on Babel for Fernando Torres with just under ten minutes remaining. The away fans gave the forward a standing ovation as the Spaniard saluted the travelling Liverpool supporters as he left the Old Trafford pitch.

There was still time for one more goal, and just like against Real Madrid on Tuesday, it was Dossena who beat the opposing keeper. The Italian lobbed the Man U keeper after latching onto a Reina long ball.


- Match Stats: Manchester United 1-4 Liverpool

Manchester United: Van der Sar, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick (Giggs, 73), Anderson (Scholes, 73), Park (Berbatov, 73), Rooney, Tevez

Booked: Van der Sar, Ferdinand

Sent-off: Vidic 75,

Goals: Ronaldo 23,

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Lucas Leiva, Kuyt, Gerrard (El Zhar, 89) Riera (Dossena, 68), Torres (Babel, 81)

Booked: Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano

Goals: Torres 28, Gerrard 43, Fabio Aurelio 76, Dossena 90.


Photo: www.liverpoolfc.tv