Substitute Ryan Babel scored a second-half winner as
Liverpool came from behind to beat Manchester United 2-1 at Anfield on Saturday
to go clear at the top of the English Premier League.
The Dutchman pounced after a mistake by Ryan Giggs to fire the ball into the
net and give Liverpool their first win over champions United in the league
since Rafael Benitez took over as manager in 2004.
Arsenal moved second after a 4-0 win at Blackburn Roverswhere Emmanuel Adebayor
scored a hat-trick, while there were wins for Fulham and West Bromwich Albion,
and also for Hull City, who triumphed 2-1 at managerless Newcastle United.
Liverpool now have 10 points, one ahead of Arsenal, while Chelsea can join
Liverpool on 10 points by winning at Manchester City in the late match on
Saturday.
"At half-time, we were just talking about confidence," Liverpool
manager Rafael Benitez said after his side's first win over United at Anfield
in seven years.
"In the second half we were controlling it, and I think we were better
than them."
Jamie Carragher, who captained Liverpool with Steven Gerrard on the bench,
together with Fernando Torres, said the victory was crucial to their
confidence.
"It's great," he said. "It's been too long and it's not just the
three points. It's also the belief and confidence it gives us, because we've
beaten the best team in Europe. It gives us the belief that we can beat anyone
in the league.
"We hope we can now push on for the rest of the season. It should spur us
on, because we've not been playing too well up to now. That is the best we've
played today."
Carlos Tevez gave United the perfect start with a fine goal after just three
minutes but an own goal from Wes Brown on 27 minutes - after a mistake by Edwin
Van der Sar - pulled Liverpool back into the match.
The home side enjoyed the better of the rest of the half, but Tevez had the
best chance only to lift the ball over the bar from eight yards out.
Liverpool came out firing after the break, and they dominated United with some
of their best play of the season.
Ryan Giggs forced a great save from Jose Reina and Benitez brought Gerrard and
Babel on with just over 20 minutes to go.
And the change made the difference on 76 minutes when Giggs failed to clear the
ball on the corner of the box and Dirk Kuyt laid the ball back to Babel, whose
scuffed shot bounced into the roof of the net.
Kuyt should have made it 3-1 when he was clean through, but Van der Sar saved
well, and Nemanja Vidic was sent off in injury time for a second booking.
United have just four points after their defeat, six points behind Liverpool.
"I think overall, Liverpool were the better side today," United
manager Sir Alex Ferguson said.
"Liverpool produced a performance of tackling, hassling and getting about
us.
"The source of our defeat was not coping with the hassling and the
tackling. You have to give them credit for that - but at the end of the day, we
should cope."
Robin van Persie opened the scoring for Arsenal at Blackburn after just eight
minutes but Emmanuel Adebayor scored a superb hat-trick to seal a convincing
win for Arsene Wenger's side.
Jermain Defoe scored a late winner for Porstmouth - his second of the game - as
his side edged out Middlesbrough 2-1.
Newcastle fans angrily made their emotions clear at St James's Park before
their match with Hull City, protesting at Kevin Keegan's departure as manager.
And Hull increased their woe with a 2-1 win, thanks to two goals from Marlon
King.
West Bromwich Albion pinched a 3-2 win over West Ham United, while Fulham beat
Bolton Wanderers 2-0 and Wigan drew 1-1 with Sunderland.
Saturday's results mean that Tottenham Hotspur, who play Aston
Villa on Monday, are now two points adrift at the bottom of the table, dpa reported.
...