Player Ratings: Manchester United 3-0 Liverpool
Manchester United contained and controlled as Javier Mascherano saw red at Old Trafford and the reigning champions ran out 3-0 winners...
Manchester United
Van der Sar — 7: Largely untested, was quick off his line when required. Clean sheet — faultless performance.
Brown — 7: Put in an energetic display and was in the right place at the right time to capitalise on Reina's error and score the opener.
Ferdinand — 7: Was solid in defence and untroubled, cleaned up whenever called upon. A composed performance, showing absolutely no effects of his back injury.
Vidic — 6.5: Strong in the tackle and very hard to knock off the ball, but was a little shaky at times and could have cost his side when Liverpool pressed around the hour mark.
Evra — 6.5: Got forward well and proved to be a useful outlet all game. Most of the time it was Kuyt marking him than him marking Kuyt, and that deserves credit.
Ronaldo — 6.5: Was diligently marked for long periods and unable to get involved in the game, set-pieces were disappointing. Began to look more threatening toward the end of the encounter and got his big game goal, the match-decider.
Carrick — 6.5: Failed to do the best of jobs marking his man Steven Gerrard and was rarely involved in United's moves going forward. Improved after Liverpool went a man down and Gerrard dropped back. Was left with a relatively simple job of holding things together in midfield and did it well.
Anderson — 7.0: Worked tirelessly from box-to-box and was an asset with his passing, wasn't incisive enough going forward and, as has been the case since his arrival in England, left his shooting boots at home. Began to get sloppy in the second half and was substituted. A positive game nonetheless.
Scholes — 6.5: Some touches of class and trademark deft passing, his only fault was dwelling on possession at times and slowing down counter-attacks. The game began to suit him in the second half when his side had the man advantage and his calming presence proved valuable.
Giggs — 5.5: By and large anonymous. His starting position is left wing, but lacking the legs, he drifted in and was kept in check by Xabi Alonso and Liverpool's back four. Despite some good passes, lacked sharpness when the game opened up in the second half and was substituted.
Rooney — 7.5: His work-rate and movement were magnificent, hit a great cross and smart reverse pass to set up Wes Brown and Nani respectively. Had he not missed two or three clear-cut chances he would have scored considerably higher, perhaps even an 8.5. Nevertheless, it was a match-winning performance.
Substitutes: Nani — 7.5 (fantastic goal and great assist with a corner), Tevez — 6 (worked hard).
Liverpool
Reina — 4.5: Looked cagey from the off. Made a couple of good saves to deny Rooney, but two huge errors for the first two goals and never looked confident. Every good moment was followed by a nervous one. He will want to forget this one in a hurry.
Arbeloa — 5: Always on the back foot and somewhat ill at ease. Uncharacteristically unassured performance from the Spaniard.
Carragher — 4.5: Was caught cold by Rooney early on and his challenge from behind should have seem him dismissed and United with a penalty. Can count himself very lucky. Was caught flat-footed again when Nani netted the third and the gung-ho defender was second to far too many balls. Hardly what the Reds needed.
Skrtel — 5.5: An average show, apart from that one moment when he was skinned by Rooney. Could be seen as partially responsible for Brown's goal, but it appears Reina made a call, hence his decision not to jump for the ball.
Aurelio — 7: Looked calm and composed up and down the left flank, forced Ronaldo through the middle and even to the other side of the park. One of Liverpool's better players on the afternoon.
Alonso — 5.5: Kept things moving midfield and held Liverpool together as well as could have been expected, but let Ronaldo run off him to score the match-deciding second goal, which gravely affects his rating.
Mascherano — 3: Was late for almost every tackle he made, and his continuous dissent eventually saw him rightfully sent off before the break despite several baseless complaints to referee Steve Bennett.
Kuyt — 6: Worked tirelessly and did everything he could with the ball when he had it, which wasn't all that often.
Gerrard — 5.5: Was allowed space from time to time and always looked like he might do something. Had a couple of good shots. Perhaps should have stepped in as captain and kept Mascherano from getting himself sent off.
Babel — 6: Proved a threat while running with the ball, but wasn't involved enough in the game as much as he would have liked.
Torres — 5.5: Was marked out of the game in the first half but kept United's usually unflappable backline busy at times in the second period. But what Liverpool needed from him was a moment of genius, and he never looked close to producing it, the lack of service notwithstanding.
Substitutes: Benayoun — 5 (anonymous), Riise — n/a.
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