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THE chorus of 'That's why we're champions' from the outnumbered Mancunians was both a chance to gloat and an insight into why Manchester United now lead Liverpool by nine points in the English Premier League.
As Carlos Tevez swept in the winner to give United the 1-0 victory they treasure most, they again showed their ability to defeat their title rivals, to do so against the run of play and in front of an intimidating Anfield crowd.
The ebullient Argentinian's strike may have been from no more than four metres, but it will prove the most significant of the season so far if it eliminates Liverpool from the title race.
It has ensured that Rafael Benitez has still not beaten Alex Ferguson in the Premier League. A meagre tally of 15 points from 21 encounters with their fellow-members of the 'Big Four' indicates why Liverpool have not taken the title in his tenure and, given their gap to United, are unlikely to this season either.
'It's a marvellous day for us,' said Ferguson. 'The games between the top sides are going to be important this year.
'It was a typical United-Liverpool game. It's about winning, but in the moments we played football, we looked the better team.'
Benitez said: 'We needed to win this game. We wanted to be closer to United.'
Though a rare unchanged team proved insufficiently creative, he described the difference between the teams as 'just the goal'.
'We had our chances, we didn't take them. They had just one.'
He is an advocate of zonal marking at set-pieces, whereas most English teams have traditionally preferred man-marking. Liverpool rarely concede from a corner, but they did yesterday.
Ryan Giggs baffled them by ignoring the waiting hordes in the penalty box and laying the ball back to Wayne Rooney 20 yards out.
His low effort may have been intended as a shot, but Tevez gratefully accepted it as a pass, turning it into the roof of the net.
Even if the backstreets of Buenos Aires bear little similarity to Anfield's antiquated glamour, this is a fixture made for Tevez, who plays with intensity and urgency even without the backdrop of hostility whenever Liverpool and United meet.
So he was a worthy match-winner, but the Man of the Match - and a contender for that title when United visited Arsenal earlier in the season - was Anderson.
Having shackled Francesc Fabregas, he went head-to-head with Steven Gerrard, a physical and footballing confrontation the Brazilian edged.
Both were booked after one altercation while, after Anderson embarked on a lung-busting run, the Liverpool captain was required to eventually halt him.
While the most impressive element of Anderson's display was the shield he and Owen Hargreaves erected in front of the United back- four, the most significant was a first-half goal-line clearance.
Edwin van der Sar must have been particularly grateful. Indeed, Liverpool's major threat came when the United goalkeeper erred.
When he spilled a Gerrard corner, Harry Kewell's shot was stopped by Anderson at the far post, with Fernando Torres heading the rebound wide.
A second misjudgment from van der Sar, also against the aerial ball, required Patrice Evra to deny Dirk Kuyt a tap-in.
Thereafter, statistically the best defence in the Premier League displayed why there is factual evidence of their excellence.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were particularly obdurate and though Ryan Babel, Liverpool's dangerous replacement, emerged from the bench to whistle a shot past the far post, van der Sar was not required to excel.
Indeed, the margin of victory should have been greater. Rooney, supplied by Cristiano Ronaldo as United counter-attacked at pace, shot wide of a gaping goal.
Even so, having reached December without suffering a league defeat, Liverpool have now lost in successive weeks. It cannot have made Benitez's meeting with co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks later yesterday any more amicable.
stsports@sph.com.sg
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