For the first 54 minutes, it was not even a contest, with Manchester United coasting to a victory in the biggest derby of England against Liverpool. However, the Reds fought back gallantly, but fell just short, with United taking a nervy 2-1 win at Old Trafford on Super Sunday of the English Premier League.
Robin Van Persie, who else, opened the scoring for the home side, before Nemanja Vidic extended his side's lead. Daniel Sturridge made it 2-1, but could not spur his team on to find that all-important equalizer.
The game did not exactly start in exciting fashion, with neither team really getting a grip on things, even if United looked the more dangerous in possession. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers chose to keep new signing Daniel Sturridge on the bench, with Sir Alex Ferguson preferring Danny Welbeck to partner Van Persie up front.
It took nearly 20 minutes for the game to see its first chance, and it also produced the opening goal for Van Persie in the 19th minute.
Tom Cleverley played the ball out wide to Patrice Evra, who fired in a low cross from the left for Van Persie to sweep home.
After the goal, it was all United with Michael Carrick pulling all the strings in midfield, while Liverpool rarely looked like threatening the home team's defense.
Van Persie nearly got his second, but saw his mistimed strike go well above the goal after finding some space inside the box. Danny Welbeck then had a glorious opportunity to put his side two goals ahead. The England forward latched onto a poor backpass from Joe Allen, who was having a nightmare of a game, but his strike was well blocked by Daniel Agger.
Welbeck soon after fired high after getting himself a half a yard of space inside the penalty area. Rafael nearly created the opening needed to get United what would have been a deserved second goal just before halftime, with the right-back, somehow, allowed to bully his way into the box.
Van Persie attempted a clever backheel off the cross from his teammate, which was well saved by Pepe Reina, and then just about cleared by a nervous-looking Liverpool defense.
The second half needed to see some changes made by Rodgers, and the manager, realizing the situation, brought on Sturridge for Lucas Leiva, although taking off Allen, who was having a torrid time, would have been the better option.
However, it was United who doubled their lead, with Patrice Evra rising high at the far post to head in a Van Persie freekick, which took a small nick of Vidic, before sneaking past Reina.
Liverpool, though, took only three minutes to reduce the deficit, with the substitute making a big impact. Steven Gerrard fired a low strike from 22 yards, with David De Gea only able to parry the ball onto the path of the oncoming Sturridge, who made no mistake in slotting it into the back of the net.
It's amazing how much difference a goal can make to a game. United, who were strolling to a win, passing the ball across the middle of the park, suddenly looked nervous, giving the ball away cheaply. Liverpool, on the other hand, after carrying next to no threat prior to the goal, looked a completely different side with Luis Suarez and Sturridge combining well up front.
Fabio Borini, making a return from nearly three months out, went close after United carelessly gave the ball away inside their own area, with Sturridge then having a nice chance to equalize, but shooting wide, following some persistence from Suarez, which created the opening.
United, as is their wont, stood firm in the final moments, and with it created a massive ten-point lead from second-placed Manchester City.
Man of the match: Michael Carrick
