Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool

Somebody wrote last week that as well as Berbatov had played so far this season, it would count for nothing if he didn't produce the goods in a big game, and they don't get bigger than Liverpool. Whilst i can't say that he has had an outstanding game for United in the big games so far in his United career, he hasn't done that badly. And to be fair to him he hasn't really played in that many of them, with Fergie usually going for one man up front on his own, especially last season. But i think he has now well and truly put that argument to bed with a superb hatrick and a crucial winning goal just when it looked like we might had blown it.
It was a surprise that he chose to go with a 4-4- 2, but to be fair to Fergie he got it right. I wouldn't say United ever hit the heights that they can, but Fergie was right to say this morning that a draw would have been a travesty. When Nani hit the woodwork with that magnificent shot and then Berbatov hit that sublime second goal the game was there for us to improve that goal difference as their heads were well and truly down. But defensive lapses meant we ended up just grateful for the win. Our best two players so far this season were the best two players again with Scholes spraying passes and dominating the middle of the park and Berbatov leading the line superbly again. Nani was up for it and had a pretty good game apart from the play acting that doesn't do him or us any good.
It was a suprise that Ferdinand wasn't even on the bench, supposedly with a virus, or was it another recurrence of his back problem. And as excellently as Vidic played he was missed especially when Liverpool got a sniff in the game later in the game. One thing that i noticed yesterday that i hadn't noticed before was that with Valencia out for the season when we have our strongest team out we don't really have anyone with blinding pace. And if Ferdinand is going to be in and out of the team again all season we aren't that blessed with it at the back.
The suprise with the Berbatov hatrick was that two of the goals came from his head, and that they were two great headers. When i watched him play for Spurs, one of the things that stood out about him was how good he was in the air. I watched him play against Terry at Stamford bridge a few years ago and he totally dominated him in the air. One of the biggest disappointments of his time at United so far, for me has been his lack of headed goals. So that was very pleasing to see him score two such cracking headers.
Rooney hasn't had that great a press this morning for yesterday's game, and whilst he wasn't in top form he had a decent enough game. Needless to say the overhead was absolutely brilliant, long may this form continue.
The defending for the scousers two goals was less than top draw though and our defending is a bit of a worry. The longer the game went on, the more leggy United seemed to become, i know it was wet and probably stamina sapping conditions, but we seemed to be struggling for those last twenty minutes. Seeing as though it was almost a completely different side from Tuesday night that was a bit worrying. Even though i was at the end where the linesman flagged for the two decsion's that let them back into the game, i wasn't that sure about either decision. After watching match of the day it looked like it was a penalty, but the other was more marginal. O'Shea did touch him, but only just, but once you make contact you are inviting him to go down, and there was never any danger that he would go down. The wall that let through the goal was terrible though, to come up with that in as big a game as that was unreal.
So three points and Chelsea only got four goals against Blackpool when i feared it might be another cricket score, so i was pretty content with that when i hit the sack last night.

Fergie is happy that Berbatov scored the goal that saved the scorline from being a travesty and hopes he will go on to dominate the league. He wasn't very happy with Torres for trying to get O'Shea sent off. Trouble is once you go to grab hold of someone you are inviting that that kind of reaction.
James Lawton thinks Berbatov showed up the disparity between the two clubs, whilst Nemaja Vidic tells the press that noone at United had ever doubted the Bulgarian. David Pleat thinks United supported the front two far better than Liverpool managed to support Torres., a view which Alan Hansen shares, he thinks that the scousers were too negative.