SINGAPORE - Bragging rights went the way of the Liverpool Masters in the Battle of the Reds clash on Saturday, as they beat their Manchester United counterparts 2-0 in an entertaining encounter.

In front of around 30,000 fans at the National Stadium, the match started off on a sombre note, with a minute's silence held in honour of victims of Friday's terror attacks in Paris.

Once a ball was kicked in anger, the venue was transformed into a cacophony of noise as supporters of England's two most decorated teams twirled scarfs and belted out classic tunes.

Amid hearty renditions of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Glory Glory Man United", the Kallang wave spread across the stands, where nearly every football devotee was decked in their club's respective shade of red.

The players themselves made some noise on the field. Spanish forward Luis Garcia opened the scoring for Liverpool inside 20 minutes, sending a looping header into the top corner of Nick Culkin's goal.

German midfield maestro Dietmar Hamann sealed the win late on with a trademark long-range piledriver.

Some of the veterans may sport pot-bellies and greying hair, but their touches and turns have stood the test of time.

Steve McManaman sprayed cross-field passes right onto the feet of his Liverpool team-mates, while United fan favourite Louis Saha showcased tricks and flicks reminiscent of the days when he was among Europe's most-feared strikers.

At one stage, the 37-year-old hitman shimmied past four opponents, only to see his effort deflected wide.

The Red Devils' best opening fell to winger Keith Gillespie, who saw his volley acrobatically tipped over by charismatic Pole Jerzy Dudek.

Handshakes and high-fives were exchanged between the players at the final whistle, and fans went home satisfied with the chance to relive the days when those men on the field were among the game's finest talents.