Match Report: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester United

Honours even in the North West Derby as United strike late on to rescue a point at Anfield.

Henderson had two late chances to win the game.

Manchester United’s unbeaten start remains intact thanks to a headed equaliser from Javier Hernandez, who came off the bench to salvage a point against Liverpool.

United were trailing thanks to Steven Gerrard’s 68^th minute free-kick, that squeezed through a gap in the wall left by the experienced Ryan Giggs. It was the perfect way to mark a come back for the Liverpool skipper, after coming back from a groin injury, it was his first start since playing United at Anfield in March.

Liverpool may be left feeling disappointed after creating more chances to win the game than the visiting champions and one player in particular, Jordan Henderson, will have felt he could have won the game for the Reds on two occasions, but for expert goalkeeping by David De Gea.

Hernandez was left out of the starting line-up, along with Wayne Rooney who according to his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was “devastated” at the news of his three match ban, which rules him out of the Euro 2013 group games.

In a highly anticipated game, the atmosphere could not have been more tense as the game got underway and it was probably the fact that the fixture is built up so much that we were all so underwhelmed by the slow starting first half. The current champions were second best for the majority of the game and laboured to adapt to their defensive formation, somewhat of a surprise selection from Ferguson, but it was evident come the end of the game which team was happier with a point. Phil Jones occupied a midfield role, seemingly trying to keep Charlie Adam quiet and Chris Smalling and Rio Ferdinand both returned to the starting line-up. It was Jones who got on the end of the game’s first real chance as he headed wide from the back post. The 19 year old will have felt he could have done better with United’s only real opening of the half.

When the home team begun to create chances, it was their captain who was at the centre of it. A whipped in cross from Gerrard only needed a touch to take it into the back of the net, causing panic in the United box, but it was a shot from Charlie Adam that bounced into Luis Suarez’s path in the 33^rd minute that found the best chance of the half. Suarez typically teased the last defender, in this case Jonny Evans, with a twist and turn but fired straight at De Gea who kept the score at 0-0 at the break.

Liverpool came out for the second half with a spring in their step and after bookings for both Ferdinand and Patrice Evra it was evident United were growing frustrated. It was time for Ferguson to introduce his fire power from an extremely talented bench, with two attacking players coming on in Luis Nani and Rooney, or the “scouser with a wig” as the home fans chanted.

However, it was whilst the United substitutes were jogging on the spot on the touchline waiting to come on, that their team fell a goal behind to a well placed free kick. Anfield erupted, as the long awaited return to a starting place for Steven Gerrard, was marked in terrific fashion by bursting the United net. Charlie Adam deserves credit for winning the free-kick after a surging run towards the penalty area where he was tripped by Ferdinand’s outstretched leg. Having already been on a yellow card, Ferdinand can count himself lucky that he wasn’t sent for an early bath.

Gerrard himself admitted in a post match interview that there was a degree of luck involved in squeezing the ball through the wall from 20 yards, however it will be the experienced figure of Ryan Giggs that will be losing a few hours sleep, as he broke away from the wall, to the dismay of Danny Welbeck.

As Liverpool edged closer to all three points and ending the champion’s unbeaten run, Ferguson made yet another attacking change, bringing on Javier Hernandez as added threat up front. It didn’t take long for the Mexican goal poacher to poach a goal for his team and level the game. A fizzed in corner was flicked on from Welbeck and after shaking off Martin Skrtel in the box, ‘the little pea’ crashed the loose ball past an outstretched Pepe Reina.

For a couple of minutes you could sense the nerves amongst the home crowd, however, after a pinpoint cross from Stewart Downing, met by the right boot of Dirk Kuyt, Liverpool were almost back in front, albeit for the gloves of David De Gea.

It was Liverpool who finished the game trying to take the points and you could tell they weren’t prepared to share. The Red’s only substitute of the game, Jordan Henderson on for Lucas, made a couple of late efforts that could have won the game. The first, was a long range lob that if it was a couple of inches higher, would have made him an instant Kop hero. Again, De Gea was equal to it and did enough in this game to keep his critics at bay for at least a week. Henderson’s second chance to win the game was a header that glanced over the bar and he’ll feel he should have hit the target after finding himself unmarked in the box.

The final chance of the game perhaps fell to the last man on the pitch that you would want in a match winning position. After last-ditch goalmouth action, the ball fell kindly to Martin Skrtel of all people and he proved why he’s a defender, after lashing the ball high into the Kop. An electric finish to a game that only seemed to get going in the second half and United undoubtedly go away the happier.