Liverpool overcome United

Liverpool came from a goal down to rescue a 2-1 victory over Man Utd in the Premiership early kick-off on Saturday. Carlos Tevez gave United the lead after only 3 minutes, before an Edwin van der Sar blunder gifted Liverpool an equaliser. Ryan Babel wrapped up the three points with the winner in the second half.

It was a typically heated affair between the two sides, and Nemanja Vidic received his marching orders in the last minute, as the champions looked frustrated in defeat.

Liverpool therefore have temporarily taken a three point lead at the top of the Prmeiership on Saturday afternoon.

The first goal came when Dimitar Berbatov made room for himself and cut the ball back across the area to an on-rushing Tevez who side-footed the ball over Skrtel and past a stranded Pepe Reina in goal.

Liverpool levelled when A hopeful long-range effort from Xabi Alonso took a wicked deflection off Patrice Evra that sent the ball bouncing across the front of the goal.

Feeling he had to deal with the danger, van der Sar came flying off his line and, in an attempt to push the ball to safety, he played it straight onto the knee of a back-tracking Brown who watched it roll into his own net.

The home side came out for the second half looking much brighter and, two minutes after the restart, a low driven ball by Alonso eluded the United defence until Evra managed to stretch out his left leg to and scoop the ball off the toe of Kuyt who was lurking at the back post.

Either side could have taken the lead with speculative efforts from Keane and Berbatov but a 30-yard volley in the 65th minute from substitute Ryan Giggs saw Reina pull off the save of the game by tipping the ball over his bar.

Outplaying their rivals in the second 45, Liverpool took the lead after man-of-the-match Javier Mascherano fought his way to the byline and cleverly knocked the ball through the legs of Giggs.

Kuyt took over from the Argentinian and threaded the ball to an unmarked Babel who hammered home from eight yards to secure the three points.

Rooney could have pinched a point in the last minute of stoppage time with a thunderous 20-yard drive but he failed to cap his impressive performance with a goal as the ball flew wide of a thankful Reina.