[aditya_reds]

The biggest game of the season... 3 points thats all that i want......

[shaunzo7]

Unfortunately we're hitting Liverpool at the wrong time again, but we should still expect to win at Old Trafford and get our own back for last season's shambles. A must win when we're competing against two teams for the title as there's much less chance both of them will slip up rather than just the one team.

Got a big couple of weeks coming with both Liverpool and Chelsea at Old Trafford as well as two huge ties against Bayern.

Not sure what the team's gonna be, its getting a bit harder to predict - especially with the number of wingers competing for position, now that Giggs is back too. I'd go for this:

            Van der Sar

 Neville  Ferdinand  Vidic  Evra

Valencia  Fletcher  Carrick  Nani

          Rooney  Berbatov

Berbatov's been brilliant lately and deserves his place and as a result, Scholes will have to be compromised. I'd personally go for Giggs over Nani, just to add some experience but its hard to tell if he's ready for this game with having been out. Perhaps it'll be Nani on the right, and Giggs on the left as Fergie has sacraficed Valencia before in order to put Nani on the right. Another possible change could be Rafael in for Neville depending on the latter's fitness having played a number of games lately.

[redredred]

Nothing less than a win will do. Arsenal have gone top today, we can't afford any slip ups now.

[Volrath2002]

Yeah berba is in good form for the first time this season so really along with Rooney who is fantastic this season with hitting the net United have a better attcking force than Liverpool and considering United are at home at OT it should give United enough edge to win this game and really dent Liverpool's hopes of finishing 4th.

It such bs that Gerrard is playing in this game. I mean he really should be suspended but the FA seem to want to try and ensure Liverpool can finish 4th this season.

[shaunzo7]

What a win, what a day with Chelsea dropping points too. I think my heart was in my mouth most of the afternoon!

The title's ours to lose now.

[Sharpey V2.0]

What a game indeed!

After that start I thought we were in for a repeat of last seasons nightmare but you've got to give credit to this team's character and resilience. We dont have the brilliance and individual exuberance of other united teams and to be honest I didnt like much the way we played, but this team is hard to break down and its the hardest working united team Ive ever seen.

Now credit to Benitez' liverpool who've found, after many tries, the right way to play us. They really made us work for the 3 points. I thought carragher had the best game of the season, and Reina has become a really reliable keeper. Too bad they've also become a bunch of insufferable little runts, particularly I can't stand the sight of Torres and Mascherano, with his whinging and dirty tricks. Torres in particular was outstanding in his tantrums. A really despicable excuse for a human being who only scored because we gave him unmarked 2 meters of space in the center of the box. I find strange to say the least how much ronaldo was hated by everyone, while Torres who does the same bad things and isnt quite the player ronaldo is, is widely admired. He dives, he chases refs, complains about everything, he's a ladyboy like ronaldo was, but he's less brilliant and plays for a less bigger club, truth to be told. Perhaps that is, ronaldo was a winner, while torres is a whiner who hasnt won anything with liverpool.

Rio and Vidic were excellent, bar the blip at the start of the game, but who impressed me the most was Gary. Fletcher was MOTM, in my opinion, and its clear that he's keano's successor. Dare to say, he'll probably be better than keano. Rooney was disappointing for his high standards, though he improved in the second half, he isnt quite the same player against liverpool for whatever reason (1 goal in 10 games, now 2 in 11).

Great result and our title chances are alive and well.

Now, after the game, be honest, given his exceptional latest performances, would've you played berba from the beginning?

[shaunzo7]

Yes, I would have played Berbatov despite seeing how hard we had to work to win the match.

I thought Park was woeful and did very little other than score the winner. Also, that contribution has led to pundits saying he played brilliantly. I personally thought he was sloppy with the ball and his passing was fairly poor. I bring this up as I'd have played Berbatov in place of Park, no surprises there though.

Berbatov's been linking the play for us a lot in the last few games, he and Valencia have created the majority of our chances lately (although perhaps its unfair not to include Neville's contribution on the right side). A typical goal for United this season has seen Rooney spread the ball out wide to Valencia who then puts an incredible cross in nine times out of ten. However, Berbatov has offered us a different route to goal lately. The ball can be played in to his feet for him to work something for someone else. Also, just his sheer strength to hold off challenges while on the run; a very effective way of holding up play while also moving towards goal.

[Volrath2002]

Park missed a few good chances, especially that lovely cross from Valencia in the first half that Park headed wide when he was unmarked, that should have ended in the back of the net for sure. Still though I did not think he had such a bad game as to say he was woeful. His positioning and link up play was decent all game, he just needs to become more adept to where other teamates are around him as he is a very 1 dimensional player who does not have the vision to create the unpredictable.

Overall the game was a good one for United. I watched the replay last night on MUTV. I thought despite letting in that early goal the defence looked solid for the rest of the game. Vidic and Rio sure make a big difference when they are both playing in the centre of the park. Neville too looked alot more solid that he has for a long time which was a nice suprise as I was cursing his selection at the start. Evra was strong at the back and did not let much past him and he was also great going forward though maybe needs to learn timeing in his shots as he always seems to shoot right into defenders.

Nani came in and out of the game like he always does, but when he was onsong he was amazing, still though I think Valencia played better overall down on the right wing. Rooney was a little more quite in this game though I am sure he is happy to pick up his first goal against Liverpool for 5 years. It is hard to think he has faild to score against Liveprool since 2005.

Liverpool on the other hand were quite dirty during the game, alot more so than United i felt. They always seemed to want to stir things up, especially Mascherano and Torres, and try and get players sent off but luckly the ref for the game was having none of it and he kept his cool head all game long and did not send anyone off. I do have to say the refing for the match was of very good standard.

As for Berba well i would have been tempted to play him instead of park given his recent form as you say but I am sure Fergie must have been thinking about the team and tactics that beat AC Milan would be able to do the job against Liverpool too which is why he went with Park in that role.