A late goal from substitute Dirk Kuyt saw Liverpool snatch a 2-1 FA Cup victory over arch rivals Manchester United on Saturday.
Daniel Agger capitalised on poor goalkeeping from David De Gea for Liverpool’s opener, but United were level by half-time after Park Ji-Sung rammed Rafael da Silva’s cross to the home side’s net. A scrappy second half would ensue with it looking like a replay would be needed, only for Reds sub Kuyt to pop up two minutes from time with the winner.
United’s Patrice Evra found himself booed by the home fans, still angry at the eight-match ban currently being served by Luis Suarez after the Uruguayan was deemed guilty of using racist language to abuse the defender when the sides met in the league in October. Captaining United, Evra had to skipper a side missing injured pair Wayne Rooney and Nani, while Andy Carroll started up front for the Reds with midweek Carling Cup hero Craig Bellamy on the bench.
Maxi Rodriguez drew the first save of the game, with the Argentine testing De Gea from 20 yards after receiving the ball from Steven Gerrard. United, meanwhile, created their first chance when Park’s lay-off saw Ryan Giggs volley goalwards but the veteran’s effort was easy for Jose Reina to hold.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side came much closer to scoring when Antonio Valencia careered past two Reds defenders on the right and fired for goal, only to see his effort come flying back off Reina’s right-hand post.
Back up the other end, Chris Smalling conceded a corner after getting in the way of a hopeful long-range effort from Jose Enrique. Gerrard swung the corner in from the left, with De Gea coming from his line and concentrating more on Carroll than the ball. It flew over the pair, with Agger pouncing to head home at the back post.
United responded to the concession with a lot of possession but Liverpool, with Jamie Carragher playing between defence and midfield, sat back and did not allow their rivals to get near their area for any sort of end product over the next quarter of an hour.
However, with six minutes left until half-time, United overpowered their hosts to go level. Enrique was culpable as Rafael bounded beyond him down United’s right and cut the ball back from the byline. Park met it first time to smash between Reina and his left-hand post and it was all square at half-time.
The visitors looked brighter in the opening stages of the second half, but there was little to show for it and Liverpool had a better opportunity when Enrique’s pass beat Smalling and Carroll had a pop. The ball came back off the former Fulham man, with Carroll roaring in vain for a handball that wasn’t.
A fine through-ball from Michael Carrick to Danny Welbeck saw the United forward slip the ball past Reina on the edge of the area. There was no pace in it though and Martin Skrtel was easily able to clear.
Kenny Dalglish decided that he needed a more attacking outlook and replaced Carragher and Rodriguez with Charlie Adam and Kuyt. Gerrard would also not finish the game, with Bellamy taking his place, but not before the Anfield skipper tested De Gea with a free-kick from the left flank.
Javier Hernandez replaced Paul Scholes for United, but saw little of the ball as fellow forward Welbeck, three times, shot wildly wide, the third from out on the left when he had time to look for a better ball. His failure to do so almost certainly cost his side the game.
That is because route one would win the day for Liverpool as Reina’s long kick was headed on by Carroll to Kuyt, who had raced in behind Evra on the right of the United box to ram past De Gea at his near post.
The bumbling United goalkeeper almost cost his side another goal when failing to meet a cross which Carroll would head against the top of United’s post. Kuyt fluffed the rebound wide to keep United alive for three minutes of stoppage-time, however they failed to get Liverpool out of the corner for the majority as they bow out and the Reds march on.