Even for the most pessimistic of Man Utd fans who watched the game, some optimism will restored after this 2-1 win. Keane was back to his dynamic self, marshalling the midfield and getting in some timely tackles (except for that one foul on Finnan). Heinze was awesome, putting in some crunching challenges and getting forward at every opportunity. Rio looked liked he'd never been out (bar the mid-game energy snack!) and kept the Liverpool forwards' chances to a minimum.
The plaudits however, must goto Cristiano Ronaldo. Every time he got the ball, the Liverpool defenders backed off or double (or even triple) teamed him. I highlighted in my previous article how the wingers would win the game for us, and it was two crosses by Giggs for Silvestre that led to the goals. Additionally, this will do the world of good of Silvestre. He still made a few errors during the game, but having a regular partner in the centre of defence will definitely help his cause.
Put simply, it would have been a travesty if we had lost this game. We dominated, created the lions share of the chances and looked far more positive than Liverpool's counter-attacking style. This performance certainly bodes well for our next few games, and just goes to show that when we have a full squad ready for action, we will be back to our best.
It's a shame that Gerrard's injury is a lengthy one (6-8 weeks if you haven't heard) because now he will miss the England vs Wales game. Although he was subdued by the tidy performances by Scholes, Keane and O'Shea, he still remains an important player for Liverpool and England.
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