NB: Video on this article has been removed in accordance to international license restrictions.
By Louis Anderson-Rich
Hello and welcome to Anfield where we have one of the most intense rivalries in English football, perhaps world football, as Liverpool take on Manchester United.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodger is still looking for his first win with the club, whilst Manchester United look to end their five-game losing-streak at Anfield.
The animosity between these two clubs is at an all-time high after last season’s race row between Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez.
Plenty of scrutiny will be on today’s traditional pre-match handshake, something which Suarez refused to do with Evra last time they played.
On top of this, tributes have been streaming in for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster after a recently released report, adding to the already emotionally charged atmosphere.
Make sure you refresh your browser occasionally to keep up to date with the running commentary.
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LIVE COMMENTARY: Liverpool 1 – 2 Manchester United
96 Min: Looks like the game will end the way it stays….there goes the final whistle and United break their winless streak at Anfield!
92 Min: Man United players starting to go down a little easier as they look to soak up time.
90 Min: 5 minutes of extra time to be played…
89 Min: Manchester United starting to take control of the midfield as Liverpool fans urge the ball to be played up the field. Danny Welbeck on for Rafael.
86 Min: Liverpool have a corner…cleared away far too easily by the United defence.
83 Min: van Persie gets shown a yellow card for a nasty studs up challenge. Much like Shelveys…
82 Min: Almost swift retribution for Liverpool as Martin Kelly gets in the box and up for a header! Gone wide! Great chance gone begging.
81 Min: Well Reina went the right way, and he is gutted with that…
80 Min: So van Persie finally steps up to take the penalty…and he buries it into the back of the net! GOAL
79 Min: Well there has been a very big wait as Daniel Agger is stretchered off injured. Carragher comes on in place of him.
76 min; Replays do in fact show that there was no contact in that tackle so a very poor decision from the ref.
75 Min: United have broken away with Valencia down the right! Liverpool in danger here it’s 3 on 2. Valencia in the box! Valencia goes himself and Johnson’s tackled him from behind! Penalty given!
74 Min: Here is Liverpool down that ever-dangerous right hand side. Susso to Kelly who crosses into the box but Ferdinand gets a head on it….
72 Min: Now United get upfield and Carrick has found van Persie who heads it down for Giggs, passes to Scholes on the edge of the area, back out to the left wing for van Persie who puts in a cross but again there’s no one there.
71 Min: Suarez is running down absolutely everything that United pass at the back and it’s certainly getting him favour amongst the Anfield favourites.
69 Min: Gerrard seeks out Kelly with a ball down the left flank, inside to Susso who finds Suarez with a lovely ball into the box who flashes the ball across goal!
67 Min: Substitution for Liverpool as Sterling comes off for Jordan Henderson.
66 Min: Back down and it’s Suarez holding the ball up right on the byline. He’s waiting for support, goes to the edge of the box for Susso who shoots first time! Turned behind by Lindegaard…Liverpool corner is too high for anyone.
65 Min: United with the ball in midfield, comes to Carrick who plays a lovely ball over for Giggs in the area! Offside.
62 Min: Kagawa on the edge of Liverpools box, floats a cross over too van PErsie who was lurking. Kelly turns it behind with a header….corner in from Giggs…it’s too far for anyone.
61 Min: Suarez with a low shot down to Lindegaard’s left from outside of the box! Parried away and cleared.
59 Min: van Persie picks up the ball in the middle of the field and releases Giggs down the left. He cuts inside to Kagawa on the edge of the box, back to Giggs who lays across a very nice low cross! No one on the end again.
56 Min: Game remaining very open and Johnson has beaten Rafael down the left wing and puts a ball across, calls for handball I think from Evrawho clears….pressure still on Manchester United though as Carrick misplaces a pass into the path of Sterling on the edge of the box! He lays it square for Suarez who goes flying from a challenge from Evans! Penalty shout turned away! Sterling picks up the loose ball! He goes down! Another penalty shout turned away! What a game!
55 Min: Manchester United back down the other end and it’s Carrick, he’s allowed to run with the ball for far too long, tries a weaving pass through the middle to van Persie who goes down in the area! Penalty shout turned down.
54 Min: Gerrard with a wonderful ball from inside his own half over the top of the United defence which finds Sterling in acres of space! No offside flag! Stirling on the byline in the box tries to floatone over to the oncoming Suarez but Evra heads away.
53 Min: Manchester United beginning to find their stride as Valencia barrels into the box to the byline. Johnson is covering him though and the ball goes out for a United corner which goes harmlessly over the bar from a van Persie header.
51 Min: Manchester united still on the attack this time down the right hand side….Rafael plays a one two with Valencia, who then crosses it in to Kagawa who chests it down for Rafael, he has a pop at the goal from a narrow angle! It’s hit the post and gone in! Unbelievable GOAL!
50 min: van Persie on the edge of the box for United, cross takes a deflection and falls to scholes on 18 yards. He juggles it away from one player and almost another. Should have taken the shot…
49 Min: What a start to the second half we’re having! Manchester United looking to strike back it’s Scholes who goes wide to Giggs now a ball through to Kagawa in the box. Back out to Evra who puts in a cross which is too high for van Persie….Kagawa picks up the loose ball and has a long range effort which is blocked by Skrtel.
48 Min: Gerrard with the ball again cutting through the United defence, Rafael puts him down with a challenge and then gets an earful from Gerrard after Rafael says something to him.
47 Min: here is the new man Susso to Glen Johnson, back to Susso who skips past Rafael on the edge of the box , back inside to Johnson. Ball goes loose inside the box! Falls to Gerrard on the turn with the volley into the bottom corner! GOAL! No one more suited on such an occasion than Steven Gerrard to have scored!
46 Min: Liverpool get the second half underway!
Well we’re back out of the tunnel for the second half and there have been a few changes as Scholes comes on for Nani and Fabio Borini has come off for Susso.
48 Min: That’s halftime here at Anfield and even though Liverpool are down to 10 men, they certainly haven’t let up on an open and attacking style of play.
47 Min: 2 minutes to be played of added time…Joe Allen with the ball in the centre of the field, he tries to carry on into the box but Ferdinand gets down with a good slide tackle. Danger still on for United though, until Kelly gives the ball away to Ferdinand.
45 Min: Replays showing Shelvey going down the tunnel and firing an expletive laden rant at Alex Ferguson, fingers pointed and all….Back to the game and Liverpool come up with a great chance, as Joe Allen bursts through the midfield to give a ball to Borini on the byline who fires a cross low but no one is there to get on the end of it!
44 Min: Kagawa with some space in the middle of the park, goes wide for Rafael who puts over a cross that’s gone way past van Persie and out for a goal kick.
43 Min: Now United look to make the most of the disadvantage…Nani on the left inside to Kagawa back to Nani who crosses it in for van Persie but it is hoofed away.
42 Min: Free-kick for Liverpool taken by Suarez from a distance! Lindegaard dives to his right to parry away and it almost falls to the feet of Johnson.
41 Min: Now Suarez goes down like he’s been shot under a Rio Ferdinand tackle, looking to balance the teams numbers. Just the free-kick given this time.
40 Min: It was a 50/50 chance for the ball and Shelvey unfortunately made the tackle look a lot worse than it may have been as he lunged with both feet in the air…game-changer at Anfield! He certainly caught Evans who is receiving treatment. I need to see another replay but I think that may well have been deserved.
39 Min: Drama at Anfield! Jonjo Shelvey has been sent off after a pretty dreadful tackle on Evans!
38 Min: Stirling again gets involved on the edge of the box but can’t shoot, lays it off to Borini who tries to put Shelvey through but it is intercepted.
37 Min: Nice one play between Suarez and Kelly down the right, Suarez with room, he crosses! Cleared but only to Stirling on the edge of the box, he cuts inside with his left and shoots! Blocked! Danger cleared, for now…
36 Min: Carrick finds Nani in the centre of the park with some room, he looks over to Valencia but his pass is cut out by Johnson and Liverpool counter….cross comes from Kelly but it is headed away.
35 Min: …Gerrard with a deep corner and Glen Johnson goes down from Rio Ferdinand looking for a penalty but nothing given. Former England team mates Ferdinand and Johnson have some words.
34 Min: Giggs makes a great challenge on Borini but Liverpool still with the ball in a good position and it’s Suarez. He darts into the box, tries to go around Evans and crosses but it goes out for a corner…
33 Min: …Gerrard with the cross to the near post. Suarez with the header! Gone well wide.
32 Min: Liverpool holding possession well. Balls with Sterling on the right side, and he goes down under a tackle from Evra! Was he in the box? Officials say not but this is a very decent position for Liverpool what can they do from it…
31 Min: Evra place a nice one two with Nani and gets the cross in, falls to the feet of van Persie who loses the ball WAY too easily. That’s poor from him.
29 Min: Liverpool string a few passes together as Gerrard gets a good ball to Kelly, now it’s Stirling. Ball goes out but Stirling’s quick throw has caught out United! Suarez in the box! Again he’s tackled, good defence from United.
28 Min: Liverpool keep Man United under the pump here is Suarez causing problems again as he runs into the box. No one in support. He tries dribbling around Ferdinand but is dispossessed.
27 Min: Sterling has made a good run from the right hand side into the middle of the pitch, tries to play the one-two with Suarez who instead goes for the placed shot to the top corner which goes high and wide.
25 Min: Carrick picks out Kagawa who gives it to Giggs. Nani back to Kagawa who goes down from a Kelly challenege and wins the free kick in a good position for United…Nani with a hopeful shot from the free-kick,floated pretty harmlessly over the bar.
24 min: Martin Kelly tears down the right for Liverpool, lays it back for Gerrard who tries to put in that deep cross again. Evra gets his body in the way.
23 Min: Reina’s first touch in open play is a very questionable clearance…
22 Min: Well Manchester United fans are witnessing something they may have seen too often in recent years as Rio Ferdinand goes down and stays down…physios shift him off the pitch (ridiculously slowly) but I think he’ll be back on.
21 Min: Gerrard with the corner but it’s headed away, only as far as Joe Allen who gives it to Gerrard for another cross again! It’s found Agger in the middle! Agger goes down for a big penalty shout! Nothing given and Man U clear!
20 Min: Liverpool having the lions share of possession in these opening exchanges…Gerrard out to Martin Kelly on the right, he puts in a low cross, Evans boots it away. Still with Liverpool and they have a throw deep in United’s half…another cross comes in towards Borini but Rafael is strong in the air and heads it behind for a corner.
19 Min: Gerrard tries to release Stirling with a decent long ball but Lindegaard comes out to claim it…
18 Min: Liverpool again attempt to go straight up the middle as Suarez looks to link up with Borini but the United defence pre-meditate the runs.
17 Min: Man U looking sloppy in the midfield as they give the ball away again….Gerrard with the ball to Suarez who beats Evra…but Evra wins it back with a great tackle.
16 Min: Liverpool still making the more positive chances as Suarez tries to find Raheem Stirling’s square run…but can’t.
15 Min: Shelvey catches Rafael in a heavy challenge but no card.
14 Min: Joe Allen picks up a loose ball in the midfield and plays it to Suarez, Suarez finds Borini with a great run in the box! His touch takes him too far but he shoots! Ball cleared.
13 Min: Glen Johnson with the ball on the left wing he tries to get aound Rafael but knocks it to far ahead, goes down in the tackle but nothing given.
12 Min: Kagawa turns to villain though as he plays a wayward pass straight into touch…Borini with the ball. Plays it back to his defence…
11 Min: Agger at the back, goes to Johnson to Skrtel now Agger again and Kagawa has won the ball with a hard challenge.
9 Min: Liverpool continue to press down the right side and Sterling puts in a searching cross but the diminuitive Rafael heads it behind for a corner…Shelvey with the corner it’s lowand short again to Gerrard who shoots first time! Hits the side net!
8 Min: Back down the other end of the field and Sterling has found Suarez who darts into the box, he plays a low ball across, Lindegaard gets down to it! But can only palm it away! Liverpool can’t turn it in to the net though and it’s cleared.
7 Min: Gerrard has found Suarez down on the byline with a searching ball but he fluffs his touch and it rolls out for a goal kick….early chance for United down the other end as Kagawa finds Giggs on the edge of the box, Giggs shoots but it goes wide.
6 Min: Glen Johnson has made moves down the left side and he’s won a corner for his efforts…first corner of the match whipped in by Gerrard. Plays it along the ground for a one two with Suraez, now the cross comes in and Ferdinand heads away.
5 Min: Liverpool with a throw in Uniteds half…Raheem Sterling with the ball but he’s lost it to Evra and now van Persie has it on the left side. Kagawa plays a misplaced pass and Liverpool move up to the halfway line…
4 Min: Lindegaard gets a dodgy back pass with Suarez bearing down on him but he has cleared it to safety.
3 Min: Nani on the left, cuts inside Johnson but Kelly comes across to make the challenge…
2 Min: Here is Valencia down the right but he’s given it away and Suarez attempts to break but United have it back. Michael Carrick finds Valencia back to Rafael…now United with the ball at the back.
1 Min: and Manchester United get us underway!...Kelly gives away a pass in the
midfield to United…van Persie goes down in a tackle from Skrtel.
96 balloons are released for those who lost their lives in the disaster and the football is about to get underway…
Now a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster…
Players out on the field and here comes the handshakes…and they have shaken hands, which is widely applauded by everyone in the stadium.
Well this game really is going to be something special. So many factors heading into the game to make this such an emotionally charged atmosphere. It looks we’ll see some good weather, overcast but no rain meaning some good football on a dry pitch.
Subs for Liverpool – Jamie Carragher, Brad Jones, Nuri Sahin, Jose Enrique, Jordan Henderson, Fernandez and Oussama Assaidi.
Subs for Manchester United – David De Gea, Anderson, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck, Paul Scholes, Tom Cleverly and Alexander Buttner.
Some big news on the lineups front. For Manchester United, Anders Lindegaard gets the nod ahead of David De Gea, Ryan Giggs instead of Paul Scholes and possibly the biggest news – Jonny Evans returns for his first Premier League start of the season in place of injured captain Nemanja Vidic.
Liverpool remain the same.
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Probable starting XI’s:
Liverpool:
Jose Reina, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly, Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard, Jonjo Shelvey, Fabio Borini, Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez.
Manchester United:
Anders Lindegaard, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Rafael Da Silva, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia, Nani, Robin van Persie.
Pregame Banter:
Man United resumes its fierce rivalry with Liverpool with a trip to Anfield.
The animosity been the sides has been inflamed by the racism row following last season's match at Anfield when Liverpool striker Luis Suarez repeatedly racially abused Patrice Evra. Suarez then refused to shake the United defender's hand at the return fixture at Old Trafford.
There have been appeals for calm from both teams, particularly after United fans chanted abuse in reference to the Hillsborough stadium tragedy last weekend. That followed the release of a report into the 1989 disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans.
"It is difficult to control all the fans but most of them are aware of the responsibility and I think they will respond well," United captain Nemanja Vidic says.
"I am aware of the sensitivity of the day - everybody is," Vidic adds.
"All over the world they will be watching this game. It is probably the biggest derby and we have to show we are capable of keeping a good atmosphere and being a good example to the kids."
Liverpool needs to extend United's five-game run without a win at Anfield to halt its worst league start for 100 years.
3News/AP
source: newshub archive
